Iconix Bio-Hydrate Versus Iconix Peel & Revive
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGlycogen
HumectantHexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Bacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polysilicone-11
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Isopentyldiol, Hyaluronic Acid, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Lactobacillus Ferment, Zea Mays Starch, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycogen, Hexacarboxymethyl Dipeptide-12, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triethyl Citrate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Polyacrylate, Decyl Glucoside, Phenylpropanol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Octadecenedioic Acid
Emulsifying
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSalix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCopper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactic Acid, Octadecenedioic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Butylene Glycol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Bakuchiol, Cetyl Alcohol, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Cryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Zinc Gluconate, Magnesium Aspartate, Xanthan Gum, Copper Gluconate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract (tea extract) is one of the most well-researched plant extracts in skincare with an impressive resume.
Black tea, green tea, and oolong tea are all harvested from the Camellia Sinensis plant.
Studies show green tea extract and its catechins (like epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)) help your skin cells product energy more efficiently and reducing the number of free-radicals that can damage your skin from the inside.
In lab-grown skin models, this translated to younger, healthier, and stronger skin.
There's also good sun protection data; researchers saw less DNA damage and redness on human skin when green tea was applied before UVB exposure. And the more they applied, the better the protection.
Needless to say, this ingredient shouldn't replace your sunscreen. But it is a great supportive ingredient that you can already find in many sunscreens and antioxidant serums.
A 2009 study found a 2% green tea lotion was effective for mild-to-moderate acne thanks to its anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.
The quality of the extract matters a lot here:
Good extracts contain 50-90% catechins while lower quality ones are mostly there for marketing. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the quality or source of their ingredients.
Human Repeated Insult Patch Testing showed no irritation or sensitization at use concentrations (0.86% in leave-on products and up to 30% as leaf water).
Learn more about Camellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthoxydiglycol is a synthetic solvent.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Ethoxydiglycol also helps deliver other key ingredients into the skin.
Learn more about EthoxydiglycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
