Some beauty blog was impressed with Botani Boost Balancing Moisturizer because it uses Aloe Vera as the base along with other natural ingredients. Is she right? Let’s look at the label to find out.

Ingredients

Water (Aqua)
This is the true “base” of the product. 

Aloe Barbadensis (Leaf) Extract
Mostly water, but there is some evidence that aloe is good for skin.

Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil
Moisturizing oil. Most formulas would have a silicone or mineral oil as the most prominent “oil” in the formula. 

Lecithin
Natural emulsifier. It’s unusual to see this as a primary emulsifier. 

Glycerin
Humectant, attracts moisture. 

Squalane (Olive)
Moisturizing oil that’s very similar to natural sebum in skin. 

Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
Emulsifiers.

Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract
Natural extract.

Xanthan Gum
Thickener, emulsion stabilizer.

Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract
Natural extracts. 

Potassium Sorbate
If this is the only preservative in this formula I’d be a bit worried about shelf life.  

Citric Acid
pH adjustor

Leptospermum Petersonii (Australian Lemon Scented Tea Tree) Oil,  Lavandula Angustifolia (French Lavender) Oil
Natural oils, unlikely to have any effect at low levels.

Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E)
Antioxidant

Image credit: botani.com.au

A Mom In Red High Heels recently blogged about how Proactiv Green Tea is good for skin, but does green tea really moisturize? Let’s look at the label to find out.

Ingredients

Water (aqua)
This ingredient is properly listed for a change! Usually we see “”pure water” or “natural spring water” or some other illegal version. Kudo’s to Proactiv for getting it right.

Glycerin
A good humectant which means it will attract moisture to skin from the air.

Butylene glycol
Another moisture binder.

Dimethicone
One of the best ingredients for sealing moisture into the skin. 

Iris florentina root extract, macadamia ternifolia seed oil
Nuts and flowers.

Epigallocatechin gallate
This active ingredient in green tea extract that everyone is so excited about. (It’s not found in black tea.) When taken internally it supposedly has a variety of therapeutic effects; when rubbed into the skin it MAY act as an antioxidant. (Read this article to learn how to tell if you’re using enough antioxidants.)  Maybe good for skin but it is NOT providing the moisturizing benefits of this product.

Sodium polyacrylate
A thickening agent.

Hydrogenated polydecene
Another occlusive moisturizer like dimethicone.

Trideceth-6
Surfactant, probably is carried in with one of the other ingredients. 

Zinc PCA
Moisturizing salt, one of the natural moisturizing factors of skin. 

Retinyl palmitate
Vitamin A. 

Sodium hyaluronate
Another natural moisturizer.

Squalane
A natural oil that’s a component of sebum. 

Caprylic/capric triglyceride
Coconut oil derived moisturizer.

Ethylhexyl palmitate
A chemical known as an ester that used to provide a slippery feel. 

PPG-2 myristyl ether propionate
Emulsifier (helps oil and water mix together.)

Alcohol
Not sure why this is here, my guess is that it’s a carrier for one of the other ingredients in the formula. Also, thinking about it makes me thirsty. 

Allantoin
Alleged skin calming ingredient. I wonder if there’s enough in here to do any good. 

C12-15 alkyl lactate
Emulsifier, feel-modifier.

Polyquaternium-11
Preservative.

Disodium EDTA
pH control, also helps boost preservative efficacy. 

Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, propylparaben, phenoxyethanol
Preservatives. And lots of ‘em! You rarely see formulators include three different parabens, especially these days when parabens scare the crap out of people (for no real scientific reason.)

Fragrance (parfum)
Smell ‘em if you got ‘em.

Alpha-isomethyl ionone, butylphenyl methylpropional, citronellol, hexyl cinnamal, hydroxycitronellal, linalool
Friendly neighborhood fragrance allergens.

Image courtesy of Proactiv

Bennie wants to know…Why does my skin get all pruney and wrinkly after I soak in the bathtub?

The Left Brain responds:

Believe it or not, scientists have only recently discovered how skin can absorb enough water to turn wrinkly without  dissolving and falling off your bones (which would leave a nasty bathtub ring!)

Water logged learning

We’ve known for a long time that the stratum corneum, the outer layer of skin, can expand as it absorbs water but we didn’t know why skin doesn’t fall to pieces when it’s water logged. Now, according to Discovery.com, the Journal of the Royal Society Interface reports that Australian scientists have identified the unique feature of skin structure that keeps it together the bath.

The short version of the explanation goes like this: The stratum corneum is made up of a three-dimensional helical pattern of  keratin fibers. This helical weave allows the fibers to straighten out  so the skin can expand and soak up water like a sponge.  But as the skin expands the protein fibers maintain contact points between each other. All those contact points give the skin it’s structural stability – to a point. The researchers say that that after soaking in water for 24 hours the skin damage can become irreversible. So you’d better lay off those day-long bubble bath marathons!

If you like learning about how products interact with your hair and skin, download our free guide to How To Save Money On Beauty Products for more information.

Lucy longingly asks…I just bought Eyecon from Benefit, but I’m not sure if it’s really doing anything. What are eye creams and is their claim of reducing under eye circles and puffiness at all valid? What ingredients should I look for in an eye cream for these things?

The Right Brain strikes an optic nerve:
Do eye creams really do what they say they’ll do? Well, the answer is a little bit yes, a little bit no. All skin creams (should) moisturize. But eye creams have some added responsibilities.

1. Moisturization

They’ve got to moisturize without adding a lot of heaviness or greasiness. After all, it’s likely that you’ll be apply some kind of make up around your eyes and you don’t want an eye cream to interfere with your foundation, for example.

2. Mildness

They need to be extra mild, since the area around the eye is particularly sensitive to irritation. Fragrance free is best.

3. Tightening

Perhaps most relevant to your question, they should tighten the skin around the eyes since they claim to reduce wrinkles. While they can’t work miracles, they can do this to some extent by adding polymers that form a film on the skin as they dry. This film can make the skin look and feel a little bit tighter.

The Eyecon product you cited seems designed to do just that. It contains ingredients like Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, and Sodium Polyacrylate. These are all film forming agents that can help eyes feel less puffy and look less wrinkled.

Of course the effect varies from person to person; even in best case scenarios it may not be dramatically noticible; and even if it does work it’s only a temporary fix at best. But if you notice enough difference you might want to continue using the product.

Want another opinion? Paula Begoun, the Cosmetic Cop, has a much harsher opinion of eye creams. She says that they are no different from facial moisturizers and that they are “a whim of the cosmetics industry designed to evoke the sale of two products when only one is needed.” Meow!

The Beauty Brains bottom line:

Eye creams are essentially moisturizers that are modified for use on the thin skin around the eyes. While they don’t work miracles like they claim, they do contain ingredients that may offer some temporary benefit. We say: try it and see what you think. But as always, let the buyer beware.

Angie asks…Why does H20 Plus Face Oasis look so different from other moisturizers?

The Right Brain replies:

Face Oasis looks different because it is different from regular moisturizers.

H2O Plus Face Oasis Ingredients

If you look at the ingredients for traditional moisturizing lotions you’ll see chemicals like cetyl alcohol or stearic acid that give the product its creamy consistency. But Face Oasis doesn’t have any of those, no sir! Instead it contains the following:

Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth 7, Glycosaminoglycans, Dimethicone, PEG 12 Dimethicone, Carbomer, and Triethanolamine

Face Oasis is based on water soluble moisturizing agents (called humectants) rather than fatty, waxy materials and oils. That means it has more of a gel-like appearance instead of looking white and creamy.

Is H2O Plus better?

If you don’t like the greasy feel of oil and wax based emulsions this product may be just right for you. However, since it is lacking in key ingredients that lock moisture in skin, like petrolatum and other oils, it may not provide enough moisture for certain skin types.

What do YOU think? Do you need heavier moisturizers or would you try something different like H20 Plus Face Oasis? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.