What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCellulose
Absorbent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
Antimicrobial
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dextrin
AbsorbentGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Cellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Houttuynia Cordata Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Allantoin, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Propanediol, Dextrin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Glycerin, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Bioflavonoids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCellulose
Absorbent
Trehalose
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arginine
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Peel Extract
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Cellulose, Trehalose, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Niacinamide, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Peel Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Limonene
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
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerCellulose is the main component of plant cell walls. It is used as an emulsifier, absorbent, and texture enhancer.
This ingredient has many functions:
Fun fact: Cellulose is the most abundant form of organic polymer on Earth.
Learn more about CelluloseDipropylene 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 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 GlycerinWater. 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
