Versus

Fillerina 12HA Biorevitalizing Densifying-Filler Day Cream Versus Filorga Oxygen-Peel Re-Oxygenating Micro-Peeling Lotion

Day Moisturizer
General Moisturizer
Swiss Brand Switzerland
French Brand France

Updated on December 22, 2023

Overview

Cool Features

They both contain AHA, BHA, hyaluronic acid, retinoid and Vitamin C

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any parabens or silicones

What's Inside

They both contain fragrances, oils and sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
12HA Biorevitalizing Densifying-Filler Day Cream

Water

Skin Conditioning

Cetearyl Isononanoate

Emollient

Propylene Glycol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate

UV Absorber
0 / 0 Chemical UV Filter IconMay cause irritation IconNon-Reef-Safe Icon

Ethylhexyl Salicylate

UV Absorber
0 / 0 Chemical UV Filter IconNon-Reef-Safe IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Glyceryl Stearate Se

Emulsifying
3 / 2 Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Stearate

Emollient
1 / 0 Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ethylhexyl Cocoate

Emollient
Can worsen Dry Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ceteareth-20

Cleansing
2 / 3 May worsen Oily Skin Icon

Decyl Oleate

Emollient
3 / 0 Bad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer

Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol

UV Filter
Chemical UV Filter IconMineral UV Filter Icon

Cetyl Alcohol

Emollient
2 / 2 Fatty Alcohol Icon

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate

Absorbent

Glycerin

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Parfum

Masking
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Xylitol

Humectant

Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans

Humectant

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Masking
4 / 0 Fragrance IconOil IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Caprylyl Glycol

Emollient

Decyl Glucoside

Cleansing

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Carbomer

Emulsion Stabilising
1 / 0

Tocopheryl Acetate

Antioxidant
0 / 0 Vitamin E IconAntioxidant Icon

Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract

Humectant
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Limonene

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Glyceryl Oleate

Emollient
Fragrance IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Silica

Abrasive
Exfoliant IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium PCA

Humectant
0 / 0

Hydrolyzed Elastin

Emollient

Sodium Lactate

Buffering

Butylene Glycol

Humectant
1 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Arginine

Masking
Good for Scar Healing IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Hexyl Cinnamal

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Hexylene Glycol

Emulsifying
0-2 / 0-1

Aspartic Acid

Masking

Linalool

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Hyaluronic Acid

Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Emollient
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconHelps with Anti-Aging Icon

Sorbitol

Humectant
0 / 0 Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate

Skin Conditioning

Hydrolyzed Dna

Skin Conditioning

Hydrolyzed Rna

Skin Conditioning

Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin

Masking

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Alanine

Masking

Coumarin

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Acetyl Cysteine

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Glutamic Acid

Humectant

Glutamine

Skin Conditioning

Leucine

Skin Conditioning

Lysine Hcl

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Methionine

Skin Conditioning

Taurine

Buffering

Tryptophan

Masking

Tyrosine

Masking

Decylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Citral

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Serine

Masking

Geraniol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Citronellol

Perfuming
Fragrance IconMay cause irritation IconEU Allergen Icon

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Valine

Masking

Sodium Chloride

Masking
Can worsen Dry Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Isoleucine

Skin Conditioning

Proline

Skin Conditioning

Threonine

Glyceryl Linoleate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glyceryl Linolenate

Emollient
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate

Skin Conditioning
Sulfate Icon

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Antimicrobial
Not safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Retinyl Palmitate

Skin Conditioning
1-3 / 1-3 Retinoid IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Histidine

Humectant

Phenylalanine

Masking

Biotin

Antiseborrhoeic

Glyceryl Caprylate

Emollient

Soluble Collagen

Humectant
Helps with Anti-Aging Icon

Sorbic Acid

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-30

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Calcium Chloride

Astringent

Cupric Chloride

Skin Conditioning

Ferric Chloride

Astringent

Magnesium Chloride

Manganese Chloride

Skin Conditioning

Zinc Chloride

Soothing

Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Ascorbyl Palmitate

Antioxidant
2 / 0 Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38

Skin Conditioning
Peptide IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Glycolic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-18

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

Acetyl Hexapeptide-37

Skin Conditioning
Peptide Icon

BHA

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Phenylpropanol

Masking
Fragrance Icon

Polyvinyl Alcohol

Xanthan Gum

Emulsifying

PCA

Humectant

BHT

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Lecithin

Emollient

Disodium EDTA

Lactic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Benzoate

Masking
Preservative Icon

Water, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Ceteareth-20, Decyl Oleate, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xylitol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Limonene, Glyceryl Oleate, Silica, Sodium PCA, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Sodium Lactate, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hexyl Cinnamal, Pentylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Aspartic Acid, Linalool, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sorbitol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Dna, Hydrolyzed Rna, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Glycine, Alanine, Coumarin, Acetyl Cysteine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Leucine, Lysine Hcl, Methionine, Taurine, Tryptophan, Tyrosine, Decylene Glycol, Citral, Serine, Geraniol, Citronellol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Valine, Sodium Chloride, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Linolenate, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Biotin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Soluble Collagen, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-30, Calcium Chloride, Cupric Chloride, Ferric Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Manganese Chloride, Zinc Chloride, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-52, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Glycolic Acid, Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-18, Acetyl Hexapeptide-37, BHA, Phenylpropanol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, PCA, BHT, Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Sodium Benzoate

Oxygen-Peel Re-Oxygenating Micro-Peeling Lotion

Water

Skin Conditioning

Gluconolactone

Skin Conditioning
PHA IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Alcohol Denat.

Antimicrobial
Alcohol IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Oily Skin IconMay cause irritation IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Propanediol

Solvent

Sodium Hydroxide

Buffering

Capryloyl Glycine

Cleansing

Phenoxyethanol

Preservative
Preservative Icon

Sodium Citrate

Buffering

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Emulsifying
Oil IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Citric Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Pentylene Glycol

Skin Conditioning

Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide

Masking

Glycolic Acid

Buffering
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Disodium EDTA

Mandelic Acid

Antimicrobial
AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Parfum

Masking
Fragrance IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Salicylic Acid

Masking
BHA IconPreservative IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin IconCan worsen Dry Skin IconMay worsen Eczema IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Chloride

Masking
Can worsen Dry Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Phytic Acid

AHA IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps brighten skin IconMay worsen Rosacea Icon

Sodium Hyaluronate

Humectant
0 / 0 Hyaluronic Acid Icon

Glucose

Humectant

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Potassium Chloride

May worsen Oily Skin IconBad for Acne Prone Skin Icon

Calcium Chloride

Astringent

Magnesium Sulfate

Sulfate Icon

Glutamine

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Phosphate

Buffering

Ascorbic Acid

Antioxidant
Vitamin C IconAntioxidant IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Sodium Acetate

Buffering

Lysine Hcl

Skin Conditioning
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Arginine Hcl

Skin Conditioning

Alanine

Masking

Histidine Hcl

Skin Conditioning

Valine

Masking

Leucine

Skin Conditioning

Threonine

Isoleucine

Skin Conditioning

Tryptophan

Masking

Phenylalanine

Masking

Tyrosine

Masking

Glycine

Buffering
Helps hydrate Dry Skin Icon

Polysorbate 80

Emulsifying
0 / 0 May worsen Oily Skin IconNot safe for Fungal Acne Icon

Serine

Masking

Cystine

Masking

Cyanocobalamin

Skin Conditioning

Glutathione

Good for Dark Spots Icon

Asparagine

Masking

Aspartic Acid

Masking

Ornithine Hcl

Skin Conditioning

Glutamic Acid

Humectant

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

Skin Conditioning

Proline

Skin Conditioning

Methionine

Skin Conditioning

Taurine

Buffering

Hydroxyproline

Skin Conditioning

Glucosamine Hcl

Coenzyme A

Skin Conditioning

Sodium Glucuronate

Humectant

Thiamine Diphosphate

Skin Conditioning

Retinyl Acetate

Skin Conditioning
Retinoid IconGood for Oily Skin IconGood for Skin Texture IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Inositol

Humectant

Niacin

Smoothing
Helps hydrate Dry Skin IconGood for Dark Spots Icon

Niacinamide

Smoothing
Niacinamide IconGood for Oily Skin IconHelps reduce Skin Redness IconHelps reduce irritation IconGood for Minimizing Pores IconHelps with Anti-Aging IconGood for Dark Spots IconGood for Scar Healing IconHelps fight Acne IconHelps brighten skin Icon

Pyridoxine Hcl

Skin Conditioning

Biotin

Antiseborrhoeic

Calcium Pantothenate

Riboflavin

Cosmetic Colorant

Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate

Antioxidant
Antioxidant Icon

Thiamine Hcl

Masking

Folic Acid

Skin Conditioning

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

Masking, Perfuming

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Learn more about Parfum
Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.

Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.

Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.

These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:

Learn more about Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.

The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.

This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.

Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.

Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.

Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.

Learn more about Pentylene Glycol
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Aspartic Acid is an amino acid that our bodies produce naturally. It is an antioxidant.

Our body uses Aspartic Acid to help build collagen and elastin. It also plays a role in hydrating skin.

Buffering, Skin Conditioning

This ingredient is an amino acid that helps build proteins and moisturizes skin. It is already present in our skin as our bodies produce them naturally.

Glycine already plays a role in helping keep our skin moisturized as amino acids transport moisture throughout our skin.

As collagen is made up of glycine and other amino acids, it is believed glycine may help our skin produce more collagen.

Learn more about Glycine
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Alanine is an amino acid and is already found in the human body. Our skin uses alanine to build collagen, elastin, and keratin.

Humectant

Glutamic Acid is an amino acid that is found in all living organisms. Our bodies use this to help nerve cells in the brain communicate with other cells.

In cosmetics, glutamic acid is a famous humectant. It draws water from the air to your skin, keeping your skin hydrated (like hyaluronic acid).

An in-vitro study from 2024 found glutamic acid to play a role in inhibiting inflammation and thus a potential skin-soothing ingredient.

Other studies show it to be have potential wound healing, skin barrier repair, and hair growth properties.

Glutamic acid has poor solubility in water and other solvents.

Learn more about Glutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Glutamine yet.

Skin Conditioning

We don't have a description for Leucine yet.

Skin Conditioning

Lysine HCl is an alpha amino acid salt.

Our skin uses amino acids as a precursor for building protein, and therefore keratins, collagen and elastin.

Skin Conditioning

Methionine is an essential amino acid. It is a conditioning agent and commonly found in both skin and hair products.

This amino acid is a precursor to glutathione, a powerful antioxidant.

Fun fact: Methionine can be found in meat, fish, and dairy. It cannot be naturally produce and requires dietary intake.

Learn more about Methionine
Buffering

We don't have a description for Taurine yet.

Masking

We don't have a description for Tryptophan yet.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Tyrosine is one of the amino acids used to create protein. It plays a role in melanin production.

A study from 2012 found tyrosine to show promising results in restoring skin volume.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Serine is an amino acid naturally found in our body. Our bodies use amino acids to create protein.

Amino-acids help give keep our skin hydrated. They play an important role in the skin barrier, which keeps the skin plump and firm.

Serine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning we don't need to obtain it from eating foods.

Learn more about Serine
Masking, Preservative, Skin Conditioning

Salicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is one of the most well-known ingredients for treating skin that struggles with blackheads and acne. It helps to exfoliate both the skin's surface and pores, and also acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

This multitasking property makes it a great ingredient for cleaning out pores, controlling oil production, and reducing inflammation.

Unlike AHAs which are water soluble, Salicylic Acid is oil soluble. This means that it's able to exfoliate the inside of pores and reduce blackheads.

Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.

It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing a Salicylic Acid into your routine.

In general, Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient for oily acne-prone skin.

While salicylic acid does not increase sun-sensitivity, we still recommend wearing SPF.

If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.

Learn more about Salicylic Acid
Buffering

Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.

In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.

Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.

"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.

Learn more about Sodium Hydroxide
Masking, Skin Conditioning

Valine is an essential amino acid. It is used by our bodies for tissue repair and muscle growth.

An essential amino acid is one in which our bodies cannot naturally produce so we must get them through diet. Foods such as eggs, dairy, red meat, and fish contain valine.

This ingredient can either be derived from an animal product or be synthetically created.

Learn more about Valine
Masking

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride
Skin Conditioning

Isoleucine is an amino acid that helps reinforce our skin barrier. This amino acid plays a role in creating protein for the body.

Fun fact: Isoleucine is found in meat, fish, dairy, legumes, and nuts.

Skin Conditioning

Proline is an amino-acid. It helps moisturize the skin and plays an important role in creating proteins.

Our skin uses proline as one of the building blocks for producing collagen.

In medicine, proline is used as an osmoprotectant. This means it helps prevent oxidative degradation in other drugs.

Our bodies are able to produce proline naturally, but certain conditions may inhibit this production. In that case, proline can be obtained from eating egg whites, soy protein, dairy products, asparagus, mushrooms, and seaweed.

Learn more about Proline

Threonine is an amino-acid. It helps hydrate the skin and has antioxidant benefits.

Our skin uses threonine for creating collagen and elastin. Humans are not able to create threonine and must get it through eating foods such as fish, lentils, poultry, sesame seeds, and more.

Masking, Skin Conditioning

Phenylalanine is an amino acid. It is a skin soothing and hydrating ingredient. Amino acids play a crucial role in wound healing and skin hydration.

This ingredient is also used to help even out skin tone due to its ability to disrupt the melanin production process.

Two structures of phenylalanine exist: L-phenylalanine and D-phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine is essential, this means our bodies cannot produce it naturally and we must get it from foods. Our bodies convert D-phenylalanine to neurotransmitters, and D-phenylalanine is found in our bodies naturally.

Some foods that contain L-phenylalanine include eggs, soybeans, beef, milk.

Learn more about Phenylalanine
Antiseborrhoeic, Skin Conditioning

Biotin is a B vitamin that is naturally produced by our bodies. It is also called Vitamin H.

Our bodies use biotin in the metabolism process. It also helps our bodies use enzymes and move nutrients around. A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair and nails.

More research is needed on applying biotin topically. However, taking biotin orally has been shown to help nourish the skin, hair, and nails. They play a role in forming skin-hydrating fatty acids.

Biotin is water-soluble. It can be found in foods such as fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and meat. Vitamin H stands for "haar" and "haut". These are the German words for hair and skin.

Learn more about Biotin
Buffering, Masking

Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!).

As an AHA, Citric Acid removes the top layer of skin cells from the newer layer of skin underneath. This helps skin to remove dark spots and even out skin tone.

If you spot Citric Acid near the end of an ingredient list, it's likely there as a pH adjuster rather than an active ingredient.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Citric Acid
Astringent

We don't have a description for Calcium Chloride yet.

Buffering

Glycolic Acid is arguably the most famous AHA with a ton of research to back up its benefits.

Its main role is to remove the top layer of dead skin cells, allowing newer skin cells to emerge.

Specifically, AHAs work by breaking down the structural "glue" holding the old skin cells in place. Getting rid of the old skin cells allows skin to regenerate newer skin cells in its place. A build up of dead skin cells can lead to tired and dull looking skin.

Due to this, glycolic acid helps with:

Fun fact: Glycolic acid increases skin hydration by playing a role in creating molecules that create hyaluronic acid naturally.

When starting glycolic Acid, it is normal to feel slight stinging.

The pH value and concentration of glycolic acid play a role in the effectiveness of the product. Concentrations between 5-20% glycolic acid have been shown to be effective in clinical studies.

Recent studies have shown Glycolic Acid may protect the skin against UV damage. However, you should always wear SPF, especially when using exfoliants.

Read more about some other popular AHA's here:

Learn more about Glycolic Acid

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA

When to use

2 Routines
0% use in am
100% use in pm
100% use every day