L'Oreal Revitalift Filler Hyaluromask Versus Dot & Key Skincare Vitamin C + E Super Bright Gel Face Wash
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingSecale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Calcium Chloride
AstringentDimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningAlgin
Masking
Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAgar
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantLinalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Dimethicone, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Squalane, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Calcium Chloride, Dimethiconol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Algin, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Disodium EDTA, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Agar, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 17200, CI 42090, Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Menthol
Masking
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Triethanolamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Niacinamide, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Menthol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Mentha Piperita Oil, Panthenol, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Citrus Sinensis Fruit Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Parfum, CI 15985, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
