Amika Dream Routine Overnight Hydrating Hair Mask Ingredients Explained
Overview
What it is
Hair mask with 27 ingredients that contains hyaluronic acid
Cool Features
It is vegan, cruelty-free, fungal acne (malassezia) safe, and reef safe
Suited For
It has ingredients that are good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, scar healing and better texture
Free From
It doesn't contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or silicones
Fun facts
Amika is from United States. This product is used in 10 routines created by our community.
We independently verify ingredients and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Does this product need an update? Let us know.
Ingredient List (27)
Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetyl Alcohol, C13-15 Alkane, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Cocos Nucifera Water, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Extract, Eleutherococcus Senticosus Root Extract, Rhaponticum Carthamoides Root Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Sodium Phytate, Propanediol, Glycereth-2 Cocoate , Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Butylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
You should know
Notable Ingredients
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Benefits
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Concerns
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Ingredient Info
Alcohol Free
This product is free of harsh alcohols 🎉
Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉
Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:
Contains Sulfate
Ingredients in this product that are types of sulfate:
Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉
Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:
Malassezia Safe
This product is free of malassezia feeding ingredients 🎉
Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉
EU Allergen Free
This product is free of EU allergens 🎉
Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉
Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
Ingredients Overview
Ingredients Explained
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. Talk about multi-purpose! If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterBehentrimonium Methosulfate is an ammonium salt. It is mainly used to prevent static in haircare products as a surfactant.
Surfactants have differing ends: one side is hydrophilic while the other end is hydrophobic.
Surfactants also help your cleansers remove pollutants more easily from the skin.
Learn more about Behentrimonium MethosulfateCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Cetyl Alcohol is not related to SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or ethyl alcohol. The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Its main roles are:
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholC13-15 Alkane is a group of alkanes with 13 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
It is a solvent and texture enhancer. 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.
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil comes from the seabuckthorn plant. It is rich in tocopherols, tocotrienols, and plant sterols.
This oil is rich in fatty acids, including: two types of linoleic acid (~30-34%), oleic acid (17%), and palmiteic acid (35%). Note these numbers are averages, and different parts of the plant will vary.
Palmitoleic acid has been shown to help soothe inflammation and promote wound healing. It is also naturally found in the fat of our skin.
Learn more about Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed OilHyaluronic acid is naturally found in healthy skin. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture to your skin.
Hyaluronic Acid has the capacity to bind to large amounts of water. This ingredient helps hydrate, soothe, and protect the skin.
Fun fact: It is already naturally found in our bodies, such as the fluids of our eyes and our joints.
Studies find this ingredient to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. This can help speed up wound-healing,
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPolyglutamic Acid is made up many glutamic acids chained together. It is created from bacterial fermentation.
Polyglutamic Acid is an effective skin hydrator and may help speed up wound healing. As a humectant, it draws and holds water to the skin. This ingredient is often compared to hyaluronic acid or glycerin. Similarly to hyaluronic acid, it can vary in molecular weights. This means polyglutamic acid is capable of bringing hydration to lower levels of the skin.
Polyglutamic Acid is found in the Japanese food, natto. It is also being used in cancer treatment studies.
Learn more about Polyglutamic AcidSpirulina Platensis Extract comes from the alga called Spirulina platensis. It has wound-healing, antioxidant, and soothing properties.
Antioxidants help protect the skin against free-radical molecules. These molecules may originate from UV rays or pollution. Spirulina Platensis is rich in beta-carotene, a potent antioxidant.
Spirulina Platensis also contains Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and proteins.
Learn more about Spirulina Platensis ExtractWe don't have a description for Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract.
We don't have a description for Inonotus Obliquus Extract.
We don't have a description for Rhodiola Rosea Extract.
This root is more commonly know as Siberian ginseng.
Siberian ginger is not technically a true gingseng. However, it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Studies show its Phlorizin content may benefit skin. One study found Phlorizin to help promote collagen production by suppressing the enzyme that downregulates collagen.
Learn more about Eleutherococcus Senticosus Root ExtractWe don't have a description for Rhaponticum Carthamoides Root Extract.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Within a product, Caprylic Triglyceride can thicken the product and make spreadability easier by dissolving clumping compounds. An added benefit of Caprylic Triglyceride is its antioxidant properties.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Caprylic Triglyceride has not been found to be toxic for human use in concentrations under 50%.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideThis ingredient is derived from guar gum.
It is a conditioning ingredient, meaning it helps soften skin and hair.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use.
It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWe don't have a description for Glycereth-2 Cocoate.
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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
Potassium sorbate is potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
Potassium sorbate is often used with stronger preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent germ and 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.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give aroma to products. Parfum, or fragrance, 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.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'. The term '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. One example is Calendula flower extract. Essential oil ingredients still impart a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, it can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Products use parfum often to give products a scent or cover up smells of different ingredients.
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 ParfumBeautiful widgets for your website
Here's what our community thinks of the 27 ingredients in this product ✨
When to use
Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.
When to use
We're dedicated to providing you with the most up-to-date and science-backed ingredient info out there.
The data we've presented on this page has been verified by a member of the SkinSort Team.
Read more about usTop Reviews
I love using this in between wash days to help re-hydrate my dry lengths. Honestly was surprised by how much I love this product, does exactly what I want it to do and doesn't weigh down my low porosity hair. Always it smells amazing and...
I love using this in between wash days to help re-hydrate my dry lengths. Honestly was surprised by how much I love this product, does exactly what I want it to do and doesn't weigh down my low porosity hair. Always it smells amazing and the scent actually stays in my hair!
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