"BIOTHERM - AQUASOURCE GEL" is a well-rounded moisturizing product. As we expect from a proper moisturizer, the formula includes a combo of effective humectants and emollients. These are the two different types of ingredients that are essential for improving the skin hydration and supporting a healthy skin barrier. Glycerin and hydroxyethyl urea in this product (humectants) attract water molecules to the upper layer of the skin (the water comes from the outside air or from the deeper layers of the skin if the air is dry). Emollients in this formulation (ceramide np, cholesterol, glycine soja oil, prunus armeniaca kernel oil and butyrospermum parkii butter) help to reduce the moisture loss from the skin. They also soften the skin surface and relieve the feeling of dryness and tightness.

Ingredient callouts

As a plus, this moisturizer also contains ceramides (ceramide np 0.60% - 0.90%). Ceramides are a type of lipids that our skin produces itself. They are a building block of the skin's barrier. Ceramides used in skincare are synthetic or extracted from plants. They work well for softening the skin surface and "patch holes" in the skin's barrier.

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.

Price

The product retails from 50.00CA$ up to 52.00CA$ in Canada, for 77.50A$ in Australia, from 47.00$ up to 99.00$ in the United States and for 78.88£ in the United Kingdom.

For a detailed price comparison: click here.

What can the product work for?

Does not work for

Anti-aging

Exfoliation

What does the product description say?

This cleanser, enriched with micro-beads, combines cleansing with in-depth exfoliation.

Source: Biotherm CA

This product can help exfoliate the skin. In other words, it helps break down the bonds between dead cells on the surface of the skin and speed up the skin turnover. Skin often appears softer and brighter after exfoliation, but overdoing it can result in disrupted skin barrier. The following ingredient is doing the exfoliating job in this product: capryloyl salicylic acid, hydroxyethyl urea.

capryloyl salicylic acid 0.25% - 0.4%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

hydroxyethyl urea 1.6% - 2%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

A derivative of urea, a compound that is naturally present in skin. Attracts water to the upper layer of the skin. Can enhance penetration of other ingredients

hydroxyethylpiperazine ethane sulfonic acid 2.3% - 2.8%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: MEDIUM

Used to regulate product's pH, but can be also used as an exfoliator when included in higher concentrations. There is a controversy about whether it can generate free radicals and induce skin cell damage when used in topical products

Moisturizing

What does the product description say?

Developed with our Blue Commitments in mind, this moisturizer boasts a formula that is good for your skin and respectful of aquatic life as well as packaging that is eco-designed .

Source: Biotherm

This product can help improve hydration of the skin with the two types of ingredients.

The first type is called “humectants”:
these ingredients help attract water. 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. The following ingredients in this product do the job: glycerin, hydroxyethyl urea.

This product also contains ingredients called “occlusives”. They help reduce the speed with which our skin loses moisture to the outside environment. These ingredients also help soften the upper layer of the skin, so it feels less tight and nicer to the touch. The following ingredients in this product do the job: butyrospermum parkii butter, dimethicone.

The following ingredients in this product are especially good for supporting the skin barrier and helping with the hydration level: ceramide np, hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine

glycine soja oil 0.45% - 0.65%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: Medium

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

A good emollient that helps soften the skin and helps repair its barrier function. It can clog pores if used in high concentrations.

hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine 0.25% - 0.4%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

A type of lipid similar to ceramides naturally present in skin. Helps to soften the upper layer of the skin and supports the skin barrier function to keep it hydrated. Can help to prevent inflammation in skin

prunus armeniaca kernel oil 1.9% - 2.4%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: HIGH

An emollient that helps soften the skin

Evens skin tone

This product might be able to help reduce hyperpigmentation and even out the skin tone because it contains hydroxyethyl urea. The effect, if any, is likely to be small. Keep in mind that you would need to apply any topical skincare targetted at hypigmentation consistently for a couple of months to get a result. No topical skincare product can help get rid of hyperpigmentation (including post-acne marks and age spots) instantly.

The following ingredient (ingredients) in this product might be helpful, but there is no evidence to confirm that it actually works: capryloyl salicylic acid.

capryloyl salicylic acid 0.25% - 0.4%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Effectiveness: MEDIUM

zinc gluconate 0.45% - 0.65%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Insufficient!

Typically used to stabilize the product formulations. It is a salt of a polyhydroxy acid (PHA) and in larger concentrations, can help shed the dead cells from the skin surface revealing smoother skin. It can help attract water to the upper layer of the skin. Might to be helpful against acne and clogged pores. Could be helpful in neutralizing free radicals, but solid research is missing. Due to the zinc content, might help calm down inflammation in skin

Anti-aging

What does the product description say?

It also hydrates and nourishes it while fighting signs of fatigue and aging.

Source: Biotherm

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 - butyrospermum parkii butter - could be helpful for preventing or repairing signs of aging in theory, but there is no evidence that it actually works.

butyrospermum parkii butter 1.5% - 1.8%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: High

Concentration: Effectiveness: LOW

A great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals

tocopherol 0.25% - 0.45%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Insufficient!

Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself

zinc gluconate 0.45% - 0.65%

Irritation risk:

Concentration: Insufficient!

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Ingredients & concentrations

All ingredients

Key Actives

zinc gluconate 0.45% - 0.65%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Moisturizing, Anti-aging, Evens skin tone, Anti-inflammatory, Exfoliation, Anti-blemish, Anti-oxidation

tocopherol 0.25% - 0.45%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-oxidation, Anti-inflammatory, Anti-aging, Moisturizing

Pure form of vitamin E. Can help moisturise and protect the skin from free radicals. Often used to help stabilise other ingredients or the formula itself

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Potential irritants

alcohol denat. 4.2% - 5.2%

Irritation risk:

Produces temporary toning effect. Can help dissolve other ingredients or preserve products

nasturtium officinale extract 1.1% - 1.4%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Anti-oxidation

Used as a fragrance. Might have anti-oxidant properties

Comodogenic ingredients

butyrospermum parkii butter 1.5% - 1.8%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: High

Works for: Moisturizing, Anti-aging, Anti-oxidation

A great moisturising ingredient that softens the skin and reduces water loss from its upper layer. It also can be helpful in protecting skin from free radicals

glycine soja oil 0.45% - 0.65%

Irritation risk: Comedogenicity: Medium

Works for: Moisturizing

A good emollient that helps soften the skin and helps repair its barrier function. It can clog pores if used in high concentrations.

All ingredients

water 45% - 55%

Irritation risk:

Plain old water

glycerin 4.5% - 5.5%

Irritation risk:

Works for: Moisturizing

One of the best moisturizing ingredients. Naturally present in skin. It attracts water to the upper layer of the skin working as a humectant

alcohol denat. 4.2% - 5.2%

Irritation risk:

Produces temporary toning effect. Can help dissolve other ingredients or preserve products

Ingredient list view

Water, Glycerin, Alcohol denat., Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine ethane sulfonic acid, Prunus armeniaca kernel oil, Hydroxyethyl urea, Butyrospermum parkii butter, Nasturtium officinale extract, C12-13 pareth-23, C12-13 pareth-3, Ceramide np, Carbomer, Zinc gluconate, Glycine soja oil, Sodium chloride, Sodium hydroxide, Divinyldimethicone/dimethicone copolymer, 2-oleamido-1,3-octadecanediol, Cholesterol, Ammonium polyacryloyldimethyl taurate, Disodium edta, Hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine, Capryloyl salicylic acid, Vitreoscilla ferment, Citric acid, Xanthan gum, Menthoxypropanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Bht, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Ci 19140, Ci 42090, Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Parfum, Unknown

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Price
WIMJ similarity score		53%	50%	47%	46%	45%	45%	44%	44%	43%	43%
Key ingredients	hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine capryloyl salicylic acid +12 more	Common: hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine capryloyl salicylic acid +3 more Other: niacinamide adenosine +3 more	Common: hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine capryloyl salicylic acid +4 more Other: adenosine hydrated silica +4 more	Common: hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine capryloyl salicylic acid +4 more Other: ascorbyl glucoside adenosine +12 more	Common: ceramide np cholesterol +3 more Other: niacinamide sh-oligopeptide-1 +20 more	Common: hydroxypalmitoyl sphinganine capryloyl salicylic acid +12 more Other: salicylic acid salicylic acid +31 more	Common: ceramide np glycerin +4 more Other: salicylic acid salicylic acid +7 more	Common: ceramide np tocopherol +4 more Other: tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate phytosphingosine +4 more	Common: ceramide np cholesterol +2 more Other: hexapeptide-2 tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate +9 more	Common: ceramide np cholesterol +4 more Other: ascorbyl glucoside caprooyl phytosphingosine +10 more	Common: ceramide np dimethicone +1 more Other: niacinamide palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7 +8 more
Irritancy	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY MEDIUM	IRRITANCY LOW	IRRITANCY HIGH	IRRITANCY MEDIUM
Potential Irritants	parfum Has skin benefit? citral Has skin benefit? +18 more	parfum Has skin benefit? capryloyl salicylic acid Has skin benefit? +15 more	citral Has skin benefit? geraniol Has skin benefit? +17 more	parfum Has skin benefit? citronellol Has skin benefit? +16 more	parfum Has skin benefit? decyl glucoside Has skin benefit? +16 more	myristyl alcohol Has skin benefit? propylene glycol Has skin benefit? +112 more	salicylic acid Has skin benefit? salicylic acid Has skin benefit? +9 more	chamomilla recutita flower extract Has skin benefit? benzoic acid Has skin benefit? +11 more	ethylhexylglycerin Has skin benefit? hexylene glycol Has skin benefit? +7 more	benzyl alcohol Has skin benefit? geraniol Has skin benefit? +21 more	anthemis nobilis flower extract Has skin benefit? copper gluconate Has skin benefit? +9 more
All ingredients	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +39 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +30 more	water Has skin benefit? dimethicone Has skin benefit? +39 more	water Has skin benefit? bifida ferment lysate Has skin benefit? +48 more	water Has skin benefit? dimethicone Has skin benefit? +66 more	salicylic acid Has skin benefit? water Has skin benefit? +243 more	water Has skin benefit? urea Has skin benefit? +33 more	water Has skin benefit? propanediol Has skin benefit? +37 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +31 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +45 more	water Has skin benefit? glycerin Has skin benefit? +33 more

PRODUCT REVIEW

BIOTHERM AQUASOURCE GEL

Works for:

Doesn't work for:

Can it cause trouble?

Key actives

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Product summary

Ingredient callouts

Irritation risk

Price

What can the product work for?

Works for

Does not work for

Exfoliation

What does the product description say?

Moisturizing

What does the product description say?

Evens skin tone

Anti-aging

What does the product description say?

Honesty check

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All ingredients

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