Helen Frankenthaler Foundation

DEJ strengthening ingredient

Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate Ingredients Explained

Kiehl’s Powerful Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate Ingredients Explained

Now formulated with even more Vitamin C, Dermatologist Solutions™ Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate is infused with 10.5% L-Ascorbic Acid and 2% Ascorbyl Glucoside. Our new and improved formula offers extensive skin benefits

Uploaded by: cassidygxoxo on 07/17/2018

Ingredients Overview

Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ascorbic Acid 10.5%, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Glucoside 2.0%, Cyclohexasiloxane, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer, Polysilicone-11, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Limonene, Isobutane, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citral, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate

Highlights

Alcohol Free

Ascorbic Acid: 10.5%

Ascorbyl Glucoside: 2.0%

Skim Through

Ingredient namewhat-it-doesirr., com.ID-Rating
Propylene Glycolmoisturizer/humectant, solvent0, 0
Dimethiconeemollient0, 1
Glycerinskin-identical ingredient, moisturizer/humectant0, 0superstar
Ascorbic Acidantioxidant, skin brightening, bufferingsuperstar
Ethylhexyl Palmitateemollient0, 2-4
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethiconeemulsifying, surfactant/cleansing
Dimethicone Crosspolymerviscosity controlling
Ascorbyl Glucosideantioxidant, skin brighteninggoodie
Cyclohexasiloxaneemollient, solvent
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acidbuffering
Lauroyl Lysineviscosity controlling
Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer
Polysilicone-11
Adenosinecell-communicating ingredientgoodie
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acidmoisturizer/humectantgoodie
Limoneneperfuming, solventicky
Isobutane
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oilperfumingicky
Citrus Limon Peel Oilperfumingicky
Citrus Limon Peel Oilperfumingicky
Citralperfumingicky
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamateantioxidant, preservative

Ingredients Explained

Propylene Glycol
  • It's a helper ingredient that improves the freeze-thaw stability of products
  • It's also a solvent, humectant and to some extent a penetration enhancer
  • It has a bad reputation among natural cosmetics advocates but cosmetic scientists and toxicology experts do not agree (read more in the geeky details section)
Dimethicone

What-it-does: emollient|Irritancy: 0 |Comedogenicity: 1

Probably the most common silicone of all. It is a polymer (created from repeating subunits) molecule and has different molecular weight and thus different viscosity versions from water-light to thick liquid.

As for skincare, it makes the skin silky smooth, creates a subtle gloss and forms a protective barrier (aka occlusive). Also, works well to fill in fine lines and wrinkles and give skin a plump look (of course that is only temporary, but still, it's nice). There are also scar treatment gels out there using dimethicone as their base ingredient. It helps to soften scars and increase their elasticity.

As for hair care, it is a non-volatile silicone meaning that it stays on the hair rather than evaporates from it and smoothes the hair like no other thing. Depending on your hair type, it can be a bit difficult to wash out and might cause some build-up (btw, this is not true to all silicones, only the non-volatile types).

Glycerin
  • A natural moisturizer that’s also in our skin
  • A super common, safe, effective and cheap molecule used for more than 50 years
  • Not only a simple moisturizer but knows much more: keeps the skin lipids between our skin cells in a healthy (liquid crystal) state, protects against irritation, helps to restore barrier
  • Effective from as low as 3% with even more benefits for dry skin at higher concentrations up to 20-40%
  • High-glycerin moisturizers are awesome for treating severely dry skin
Ascorbic Acid
  • Works best between a concentration of 5-20%
  • Boosts the skin’s own collagen production
  • Fades pigmentation and brown spots
  • If used under sunscreen it boosts its UV protection
  • Extremely unstable and oxidizes very easily in presence of light or air
  • Stable in solutions with water only if pH is less than 3.5 or in waterless formulations
  • Vit E + C work in synergy and provide superb photoprotection
  • Ferulic acid doubles the photoprotection effect of Vit C+E and helps to stabilize Vit C
  • Potent Vit. C serums might cause a slight tingling on sensitive skin
Ethylhexyl Palmitate

What-it-does: emollient|Irritancy: 0 |Comedogenicity: 2-4

A super common, medium-spreading emollient ester that gives richness to the formula and a mild feel during rubout. It can be a replacement for mineral oil and is often combined with other emollients to achieve different sensorial properties.

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone

A silicone emulsifier that helps water and silicone oils to mix nicely together.

Dimethicone Crosspolymer

A high-molecular-weight silicone elastomer (rubber-like elastic material) that is usually blended with a base silicone fluid (such as dimethicone or cyclopentasiloxane) to give the formula a silky smooth feel and to act as a thickening agent.

Ascorbyl Glucoside

A form of skincare superstar, vitamin C. If you do not know why vitamin C is such a big deal in skincare, we have a really detailed, geeky description that's good to read. :)

So now you know that because pure vitamin C is such a diva (very unstable and hard to formulate) the cosmetic industry is trying to come up with some derivatives that have the badass anti-aging properties of vitamin C (antioxidant protection + collagen boosting + fading hyperpigmentation) but without the disadvantages. This is a hard task, and there is not yet a derivative that is really proven to be better in every aspect, but Ascorbyl Glucoside is one of the best options when it comes to vitamin C derivatives. Let's see why:

First, it's really stable and easy to formulate, so the problems that come with pure vitamin C are solved here.

Second, in vitro (meaning made in the lab, not on real humans) studies show that ascorbyl glucoside can penetrate the skin. This is kind of important for an anti-aging ingredient to do the job, so this is good news, though in-vivo (made on real humans) studies are still needed.

Third, in-vitro studies show that after ascorbyl glucoside is absorbed into the skin it is converted to pure vitamin C (though the rate of conversion is still a question mark). It also shows all the three anti-aging benefits (antioxidant protection + collagen boosting + fading hyperpigmentation) that pure vitamin C does.

Bottom line: ascorbyl glucoside is one of the best and most promising vitamin C derivatives that shows similar benefits to that of pure vitamin C, but it's less proven (in vivo vs. in vitro studies) and the extent of the benefits are also not the same.

Cyclohexasiloxane

A light-feeling, volatile (meaning it does not absorb into the skin but evaporates from it) silicone that gives skin a unique, silky and non-greasy feel. It has excellent spreading properties and leaves no oily residue or build-up.

Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid

Also-called: HEPES |What-it-does: buffering

A slightly basic (7.0-7.6 pH) molecule used to adjust the pH is cosmetic formulas.

Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer

Also-called: Expancel microspheres

Thermoplastic (a type of plastic that becomes moldable at higher temperatures and solidifies upon cooling) microspheres (tiny balls) that are generally used as lightweight fillers. As for cosmetics, we have found a patent from Living Proof that claimes a hair spray composition with our microsphere to "surprisingly increase the volume of hair".

Other than that, the L'Oreal group seems to like and use Acrylonitrile/Methyl Methacrylate/Vinylidene Chloride Copolymer as a hollow, gas-filled (probably filled with isobutane) microsphere as it improves the skin feel of aqueous gel formulas and makes them very comfortable and smooth.

Polysilicone-11

A type of silicone elastomer (rubber-like material with both viscosity and elasticity) whose major function is forming a nice film on the skin.

It is also cosmetically very elegant with a non-tacky, non-oily and smooth skin feel. It also works as a stable delivery system of active materials, has sebum absorption and control properties and upon application, it transforms into a matte appearance with a powdery after feel.

Adenosine

Adenosine is an important little compound in our body that has a vital cell-signalling role. Research on smearing it on our face is also promising and shows so far a couple of things:

  • It can help with wound healing
  • It’s a good anti-inflammatory