What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water
Antioxidant
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Poloxamer 184
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Rheum Palmatum Root Extract
Astringent
Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract
AstringentRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCimicifuga Dahurica Root Extract
Antioxidant
Pueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Water, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Poloxamer 184, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Rheum Palmatum Root Extract, Psidium Guajava Leaf Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Cimicifuga Dahurica Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
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.
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 preservatives
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
