OIL-FREE ULTRA-MOISTURIZING LOTION WITH BIRCH SAP - SKINCHEMSCIENCES IN-DEPTH INGREDIENT DISCUSSION

COSRX OIL-FREE ULTRA-MOISTURIZING LOTION WITH BIRCH SAP

Hello my beauty geeks, after many of you requested, I decided to do an ingredient discussion of a moisturizer for oily and combination skin types - the COSRX OIL-FREE ULTRA MOISTURIZING LOTION WITH BIRCH SAP. I've been using it for over a year now and I'll be posting my experience and review of the COSRX BIRCH SAP LOTION soon. Keep reading for an in-depth ingredient discussion of COSRX OIL-FREE ULTRA MOISTURIZING LOTION WITH BIRCH SAP. 

INGREDIENT LIST OF COSRX OIL-FREE ULTRA MOISTURIZING LOTION WITH BIRCH SAP

Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol,1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Lactate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Hexanediol, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil

SKINCHEMSCIENCES' DEEP DIVE INTO THE INGREDIENT LIST

STAR INGREDIENTS - Tea tree leaf oil, glycerine, sodium hyaluronate, allantoin, panthenol, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice

IN-DEPTH INGREDIENT DISCUSSION

Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice - It contains the big-name on the left juice or birch sap extract as the first ingredient which means it is used as a solvent instead of water (which we beauty geeks know by know, is the most common solvent and thus the first ingredient on the majority of our cosmetic products). The sap juice is the sugary water that runs in the tree. Birch sap is the sap found in the birch tree and is used as a solvent here to boost the efficacy of the product. Birch sap is packed with beneficial nutrients like vitamin C, glycosides, succinic acid, malic acid and nine different types of amino acids and is proven to have anti-radical properties. 

Butylene Glycol - It is a multi-tasker as it is a solvent, a humectant and provides viscosity controlling. It helps the products to absorb faster and deeper into the skin and also helps the product to spread nicely on the skin.

Glycerine - It is a natural moisturizer and humectant which is present naturally in our skin. It works wonders even in low concentrations of 3% and can be used in 20% - 40% for severely dry skin.

Dimethicone - It works as an emollient and is a common silicone that acts as an occlusive which means it forms a protective layer giving skin a smooth finish and allowing light to reflect through a more even surface thus giving the sense of shine.

Betaine - It is an amino acid derived from sugar beet. It is also a humectant and has skin protection and moisturization properties. It is also a natural osmolyte (controls cell-water balance) and osmoprotectant (attracts water away from the protein surface thus protecting them from denaturation and increasing their stability). It is also responsible for providing sensorial benefits to the formulation.

Cetearyl Alcohol - It is used as an emollient (moisturizes and gives the 'feel good' sensation), viscosity controller, emulsifying agent, emulsion stabilizer and surfactant. Yep, that's quite a list... yes, it is indeed a multitasker but it can be irritating to some people and is a known comedogen.

1,2 - Hexanediol - It is a humectant and an emollient, gives a soft feel to the formula and acts as a solvent for perfumes in water-based products. It also helps pigments to disperse evenly in colour cosmetics products and can boost the antimicrobial activity of the preservative.

Sodium Hyaluronate - It is a more stable form (salt) of our favourite hyaluronic acid. It is the same as hyaluronic acid the only difference is sodium hyaluronate dissociates in solution into sodium atom and hyaluronic acid molecules. Many online sources cite that sodium hyaluronate penetrates deeper into the skin due to its smaller molecular size but this is not true at all. It is pretty similar to hyaluronic acid when it comes to size and of course the benefits.

Panthenol - It is also known as Pro-Vitamin B5 and is a soothing agent and a humectant. Vitamin B5 is pantothenic acid and Pro-Vitamin B5 is nothing but the pre-cursor to pantothenic acid. It moisturizes skin and also helps our skin to produce lipids that are important for maintaining a healthy skin barrier. It also has anti-inflammatory and skin protecting abilities and reduces irritation caused by fragrance, preservatives etc. in the product.

Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil - It is a well known essential oil and contains hundreds of components. Tea tree oil is well known for its anti-acne, soothing, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. 

 
Allantoin- It is a skin-soothing ingredient and also works as a skin-softening and protecting agent. It is also found to speed up the healing process of wounded skin.

Ethyl Hexanediol - It is a common solvent for cosmetics.

Cetearyl Olivate and Sorbitan Olivate - They are used together in several formulas as a natural emulsifying agent with skin barrier repairing, soothing and moisturising properties. 

 

Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer- It is an emulsion stabilising ingredient and also helps to make the formula thick, gel-like. 

Sodium Lactate - It is the sodium salt of lactic acid and works as a humectant to provide moisturization. 

Ethylhexylglycerine - It is a deodorant and improves the potency of other preservatives used in the formulation. 

Xanthan Gum - It is a natural thickener and emulsion stabilizer. 

Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil - It is a well known essential oil used as a perfuming agent.

[ADDITIONAL FACT - Birch sap or the sap extracted from the Betula Japonica tree is found to boost fibroblasts production which is found in our dermis. Fibroblasts are a common cell found in connective tissues and are responsible for secreting collagen proteins. Besides cosmetic use, birch sap is also a traditional beverage and a  common summer drink in the Northern parts of China. It is a low - sugar beverage which is high in magnesium, manganese and contains several anti-oxidants]

Thank you for reading. Leave your thoughts in the comments below and mention the products you want to be reviewed in the next post. 

Much Love, xoxo

Shruti,

Your own skin and hair care guide

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