What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
Antimicrobial
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Carbomer, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate, Panthenol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Acrylic Acid/Ma Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Octyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Chloride
MaskingResveratrol
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Histidine
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Threonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Magnesium Chloride
Calcium Chloride
AstringentAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Water, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Trehalose, Glycerin, Sodium Acrylic Acid/Ma Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Arginine, Octyldodeceth-16, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Aspartic Acid, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Gluconolactone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Chloride, Resveratrol, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Histidine, Serine, Alanine, Threonine, Proline, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Asiaticoside, Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Parfum
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
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineCaprylyl 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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
