What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantCoconut Alkanes
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-9
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-11
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningCopper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Skin ConditioningHeptapeptide-15 Palmitate
Skin ConditioningPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantFerulic Acid
AntimicrobialNymphaea Odorata Root Extract
RefreshingSymphytum Officinale Root Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantSalicylic Acid
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLecithin
EmollientIsomalt
HumectantLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract
AntioxidantSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyvinyl Alcohol
Citric Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Coconut Alkanes, Sorbitan Olivate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Acetyl Glutamine, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Ferulic Acid, Nymphaea Odorata Root Extract, Symphytum Officinale Root Cell Extract, Sodium PCA, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Isomalt, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium Anisate, Xanthan Gum, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Caprylyl Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantSqualane
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialOryza Sativa Hull Extract
MoisturisingLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Lysate
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seedcake Extract
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIpomoea Batatas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXylitol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentAlcohol
AntimicrobialBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Behenyl Alcohol, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Hull Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Saccharomyces Lysate, Coffea Arabica Seedcake Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xylitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.
Topically, glycerin does several things at once:
Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.
Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.
This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.
Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil (aka marula oil) is a skin hydrating ingredient.
Its fatty acid profile is dominated by oleic acid (~69%), palmitic acid (~15%), linoleic acid (~9%), and palmitoleic acid (~4%).
These fatty acids are very similar to those naturally found in the epidermis, making this oil biomimetic; basically, your skin recognizes it.
Clinical testing found this ingredient to be moisturizing and non-irritating, with noteworthy effects on reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
Besides fatty acids, marula oil is also rich in oxidative stabilizers like vitamin E, vitamin C precursors, and polyphenols. This gives it excellent shelf stability compared to most facial oils.
This is a great ingredient for dry, dull, or barrier-compromised skin.
Just know it may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fatty acids can as as a food source for the Malassezia yeast.
Learn more about Sclerocarya Birrea Seed OilWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water