
The INKEY List Multi-Biotic Moisturizer
Welcome to our explanation of everything that you need to know about The INKEY List Multi-Biotic Moisturizer. Let’s get started!
- vegan and cruelty-free general moisturizer that contains aha, hyaluronic acid and peptides.
- it doesn't contain any parabens, silicones or sulfates.
- it does contain harsh alcohols, common allergens, fragrances and oils.
- it is reef safe.
- it is not fungal acne (malassezia) safe.
This product was submitted by BB_BG on February 14, 2021
At a glance
Notable Ingredients

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This product contains 1 ingredient that may have this attribute:

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Benefits

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Concerns

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Ingredient Info

Contains Alcohol
Ingredients in this product that are types of alcohol:

Silicon Free
This product is free of silicons 🎉

Contains Fragrance
Ingredients in this product that are forms of fragrance:

Sulfate Free
This product is free of sulfates 🎉

Paraben Free
This product is free of parabens 🎉

Contains Oils
Ingredients in this product that are types of oil:

Not Malassezia Safe
Ingredients in this product that are not malassezia safe:

Reef Safe
This product is free of ingredients that damage reefs 🎉

Contains Eu Allergens
Ingredients in this product that are EU allergens:

Vegan
This product is vegan 🎉

Cruelty Free
This product is cruelty-free 🎉
The INKEY List Multi-Biotic Moisturizer Ingredient List (28)
Water • Inulin • Glycerin • Isoamyl Laurate • Propanediol • Squalane • Cetearyl Olivate • Sorbitan Olivate • Avena Sativa Kernel Oil • Phenoxyethanol • Yogurt Powder • Sodium Caproyl Prolinate • Carbomer • Isoamyl Cocoate • Benzyl Alcohol • Sodium Hyaluronate • Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate • Ethylhexylglycerin • Diglucosyl Gallic Acid • Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate • Dehydroacetic Acid • Citric Acid • Heptapeptide-7 • Lecithin • Potassium Sorbate • Sodium Benzoate • Xanthan Gum • Sorbitan Isostearate
Ingredients Explained
This product contains 28 ingredients. Click on any ingredient to learn more about it
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's there to help 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!
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps moisturize and protect your skin. A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
Glycerin is a humectant, helping the skin stay hyrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Having moisturized skin helps improve the 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.
Glycerin is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
We don't have a description for Isoamyl Laurate.
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.
Squalane is an emollient that helps the skin hold onto moisture. It's an oily liquid that occurs naturally in certain types of fish and plant oils.
Because Squalane boosts hydration in the skin, it also comes with plenty of benefits. Squalane is an antioxidant and can help fight free radicals and skin damage. Squalane is also found to have a detoxifying effect when applied.
Squalane comes from squalene, which occurs naturally within the sebum of our skin. It is one of the oils our skin produces to keep itself hydrated. Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene and has a longer shelf life.
Research shows that Squalane is non-irritating (even at 100% concentration).
In general, it's a fantastic ingredient. It does a great job at hydrating the skin, and it's suitable for those with sensitive skin.
The source of squalane may impact malassezia / fungal acne. This is because olive oil derived squalane can contain impurities such as fatty acids and plant waxes. Sugarcane derived squalane is recommended for anyone with malassezia concerns.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".

Cetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent oils and waters from separating. It can also
Manufacturers use the name Olivem 1000. This ingredient has been found to preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria. This ingredient is grouped with Sorbitan Olivate under the name Olivem 1000.

Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
Sorbitan Olivate is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
Manufacturers sell sorbitan olivate under the name OliveM 1000. OliveM 1000 a multifunctional ingredient. It is self-emulsifying. According to a manufacturer, OliveM 1000 does not disrupt natural skin biome.

Avena Sativa Kernel Oil is the oil from colloidal oatmeal.
Besides being a healthy breakfast, oats have many benefits in skincare too.
Colloidal Oatmeal helps sooth, hydrate, and protect the skin. The starches in colloidal oatmeal are able to bind water, keeping the skin hydrated.
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil is also an antioxidant. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radical molecules. These molecules may damage skin cells.
Overall,Avena Sativa Kernel Oil is great at providing the skin with moisture. It also protects the skin as an antioxidant.

Phenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for Sodium Caproyl Prolinate.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Carbomer is commonly found in many types of cosmetics products. It is found to be safe in concentrations up to 15%. However, a high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Most products contain 1% of less of carbomer.




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 concetrations 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:
- Ethyl Alcohol or ethanol
- Methanol
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- SD Alcohol
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.

Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form.
Sodium Hyaluronate is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. It plays a role in hydrating and soothing skin.
It is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints; it is commonly derived from sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.
In higher amounts, it may act as a cleansing agent.
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.
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.

Dehydroacetic Acid is fungicide and bactericide. It is used as a preservative in cosmetics. Preservatives help elongate the shelf life of a product.
Dehydroacetic Acid is not soluble in water.




Citric Acid is an AHA derived from citrus fruits (think oranges, lemons, and limes!). A small amount is used in formulas to adjust the pH of products. In higher concentrations, it can exfoliate skin.
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 look more even.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of fatty acids. These fatty acids usually are a mixture of phosphoric acid's choline ester connected to stearic, oleic, and palmitic acids. Most lecithins are created from plant ingredients scuh as sunflower.
Lecithin is an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.
As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin. The phospholipids in Lecithin can produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.

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.

Sodium Benzoate is a preservative used in both cosmetic and food products.
Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. Benzoic acid is found naturally in common foods such as cinnamon, tomatoes, berries, apples, honey, mushrooms, and more.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, Sorbitan Isostearate prevents oils and water from separating.
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Usage
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Directions
Use in both the AM and PM. After serums, apply a thin layer to the face and neck. Follow with oils, SPF during the day or treatments at night. If you've over exfoliated, Multi-biotic is great to help rebalance your skin.
When to use
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