What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Diglycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingVinyldimethicone
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Diglycerin, Trehalose, Triethylhexanoin, Vinyldimethicone, Polyglycerin-3, Glyceryl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Sorbitan Olivate, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glucose, Disodium EDTA, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Malachite Extract, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Sodium Dna
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingParfum
Masking
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Betaine, Behenyl Alcohol, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Jojoba Esters, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Arachidyl Glucoside, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Malachite Extract, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Tocopherol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
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
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidMalachite extract is created by grinding down the malachite stone.
More than half of the mineral is made up of copper, which plays a role in skin formation and regeneration processes.
Propanediol 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 PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
