Works for
MoisturizingPanthenol, Sodium lactate + 4 moreWorks well
“Revel in a much-needed vitamin boost with Aesop B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel, an innovative antioxidant gel containing panthenol (vitamin B) and magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C) to help nourish, replenish and soften skin.”
This product contains good ingredients to attract water to the upper layer of the skin. These ingredients are called "humectants": sodium lactate, aloe barbadensis leaf juice.
When humectants are on the surface of the skin, they “pull in” the moisture from the outside environment, or from within deeper layers of the skin. If the air is dry, humectants can speed up the moisture loss from the skin. This is why it is a good idea to use another product on top of this one to help "seal in" the moisture (look for ingredients like dimethicone, squalane, oils and butters).
The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: panthenol
Anti-agingAloe barbadensis leaf juice, Camellia sinensis leaf extract + 2 moreNot delivered
“A potent blend of antioxidants stimulate collagen, helps skin repair itself and protects it from damaging environmental factors.”
This product does not contain ingredients that are able to reduce fine lines and wrinkles or help with skin elasticity, but it can improve the look of the skin temporarily through moisturization. Well-moisturized skin might also be able to repair the sun damage better.This ingredient - camellia sinensis leaf extract - could be helpful for preventing or repairing signs of aging in theory, but there is no evidence that it actually works.
This ingredient camellia sinensis leaf extract might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin and help it fight off some of the sun damage.
Evens skin toneLactic acid ~0.35–0.85%Under-dosed
“Controlling shine with its matte finish, it goes even further by reducing the visibility of pores and smoothing out uneven skin tone.”
Effective ingredients missing or their concentration is too low
Anti-oxidationSide benefit · Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Magnesium ascorbyl phosphateMay help
This product contains antioxidants (camellia sinensis leaf extract) that might be able to help neutralize free radicals in skin to lessen the damage it gets from the UV light (sun). There is not enough evidence to confirm their effectiveness in skin though.
Can it cause trouble?
Irritancy6 strong irritants: Hamamelis virginiana water, Lavandula angustifolia oil + 4 more — patch-test recommendedHigh risk
ComedogenicClean of flagged comedogenic ingredientsNone flagged
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Ingredients
Filter by role to see what each ingredient is doing.
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice~23–35%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Traditionally used to treat sunburns, dermatitis and inflammation, but evidence for its effectiveness is lacking. The extract can contain humectants that help attract water into the skin
More about Aloe barbadensis leaf juiceWater~12–17%
Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil~3.5–5.2%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps oil and water mix together
More about Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oilPeg-150 distearate~3.2–4.8%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps oil and water mix together
More about Peg-150 distearateMagnesium ascorbyl phosphate~2.5–3.7%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
A derivative of vitamin C that is more stable, but less bioavailable than the pure form of vitamin C. It does not penetrate the skin well, but has been shown to convert to pure vitamin C once in skin. It can be helpful in stimulating collagen production and lightening the skin tone, but the required concentration is likely to be very high
More about Magnesium ascorbyl phosphateHamamelis virginiana water~1.7–2.5%
- Irritation risk
- High
A plant extract that can help calm down inflammation in skin. Can, however, itself be irritating
More about Hamamelis virginiana waterPolysorbate 20~1.4–2.1%
Sodium lactate~1.1–1.7%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin. Is often used to adjust the pH level of the product
More about Sodium lactatePhenoxyethanol~0.5–1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
A preservative. It helps prevent bacterial growth in cosmetic products
More about PhenoxyethanolHydroxyacetophenone~0.95–1.4%
Lavandula angustifolia oil~0.6–1.35%
- Irritation risk
- High
An essential oil. Potential allergen and can be irritating. It has some anti-bacterial properties
More about Lavandula angustifolia oilEthylhexylglycerin~0.5–1.2%
Sorbitol~0.45–1.1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and improves the product texture
More about SorbitolPanthenol~0.45–1%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Helps attract water to the upper layer of the skin and can help improve skin barrier function
More about PanthenolDisodium edta~0.4–0.95%
Lactic acid~0.35–0.85%
- Irritation risk
- Medium
An exfoliating and moisturizing alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). Typically causes less irritation than other AHAs, for example, glycolic acid. At high concentrations (about 15%), lactic acid can help reduce lines and wrinkles. Recent studies show that lactic acid can support the "good" bacteria living on skin's surface (healthy skin microbiome)
More about Lactic acidOrmenis multicaulis oil~0.3–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Camellia sinensis leaf extract~0.3–0.75%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Can contain potent anti-oxidant compounds (abbreviated ECG, GCG, EGC, and EGCG) that might help protect the skin from free radicals. Can help calm down inflammation and has some anti-bacterial properties. Unfortunately, these antioxidants are unstable and lose their effectiveness very quickly in products. The concentration of the antioxidant compounds in the extract also tends to be low to be effective in topical formulation
More about Camellia sinensis leaf extractChamomilla recutita flower oil~0.15–0.7%
- Irritation risk
- High
Plant oil that can have healing and anti-inflammatory properties. It contains volatile compouunds that are potential allergens and can be irritating
More about Chamomilla recutita flower oilCarum petroselinum seed oil~0.1–0.5%
- Irritation risk
- Low
Benzoic acid~0.1–0.45%
Linalool~0.1–0.4%
Geraniol~0.05–0.3%
Limonene~0.05–0.3%
- Irritation risk
- High
A common frangrance that can easily irritate skin, especially if exposed to air, light or heat
More about LimoneneIngredient list view
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice, Water, Peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil, Peg-150 distearate, Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, Hamamelis virginiana water, Polysorbate 20, Sodium lactate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lavandula angustifolia oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitol, Panthenol, Disodium edta, Lactic acid, Ormenis multicaulis oil, Camellia sinensis leaf extract, Chamomilla recutita flower oil, Carum petroselinum seed oil, Benzoic acid, Linalool, Geraniol, Limonene
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Worth comparing, line by line.
Match % combines shared ingredients, the first five ingredients, shared actives and hero ingredients, irritancy (lower counts in the alternative's favour), texture and body area. Only products in the same routine step are compared.
| AesopB Triple C Facial Balancing GelYOUR PRODUCT | January LabsRetexturizing Night Cream | ACUREUltra Hydrating Facial Gel Cream | TulaAqua Infusion Oil-Free Gel Cream | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match | — | 55% | 49% | 47% |
| Price | $127.00 | — | — | — |
| Shared key ingredients | — | 3 of 4 | 2 of 4 | 3 of 4 |
| Key difference | — | Niacinamide | Glycerin | Gluconolactone |
| Irritancy | High | Medium | Low | Medium |
| Drying alcohol | — | — | — | — |
| View product | Shop | Shop | Shop |
More alternatives: Face Reality Skincare Professional Barrier Care Gel CreamPixi pHenomenal Gel
Product summary
"Aesop - B Triple C Facial Balancing Gel" has a good moisturizing formula.
Ingredient callouts
- An effective concentration of Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) - about 0.45% - 1.05%. Panthenol helps strengthen the skin barrier, improve hydration and reduce inflammation in skin.
Irritation risk
This moisturizer contains a bunch of common irritants, including ingredients that do not provide any known benefit for the skin. It might not be the best choice if your skin is sensitive. We assess the overall irritancy of this moisturizer to be high. For a detailed overview of all potential irritants: click here
You can see the detailed formula review with the breakdown of all actives in the product and the full ingredient list with estimated concentrations in the tables below.
About the brand
According to Cruelty-Free Kitty "Aesop" is cruelty free, but its parent company is not.
Price
The product retails from 85.00$ up to 139.00$ in the United States and from 89.00£ up to 105.00£ in the United Kingdom.
For a detailed price comparison: click here.
Sources cited in this review
Every concentration estimate and effectiveness label is anchored to one of these 8 studies and safety reviews.
- 1
- 2
- 3Topical L-ascorbic acid: percutaneous absorption studiesncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 4Skin moisturizing effects of panthenol-based formulationspdfs.semanticscholar.org
- 5
- 6Epidermal and dermal effects of topical lactic acidncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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