What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingXylitylglucoside
HumectantGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMalachite Extract
AntioxidantXylitol
HumectantMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningVincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium DNA
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantOctanediol
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantC12-13 Alketh-9
EmulsifyingDipotassium Phosphate
BufferingAcetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Malachite Extract, Xylitol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Anhydroxylitol, Allantoin, Sodium DNA, Dipropylene Glycol, Octanediol, Phosphatidylcholine, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, C12-13 Alketh-9, Dipotassium Phosphate, Acetyl Glutamine, Copper Tripeptide-1, Cellulose Gum, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantGlycerin
HumectantGlutathione
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
SmoothingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantArginine
MaskingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientSodium Surfactin
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSuccinic Acid
BufferingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingCysteine
AntioxidantThioctic Acid
AntioxidantAcetyl Oligopeptide-181
Skin ConditioningSodium Dipalmitoyl Glycerophosphate
Skin ConditioningButyric Acid
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propanediol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glycerin, Glutathione, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Gluconolactone, Octyldodeceth-16, Niacinamide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Mandelic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Arginine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Sodium Surfactin, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Ceramide NP, Lactic Acid, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Succinic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Cysteine, Thioctic Acid, Acetyl Oligopeptide-181, Sodium Dipalmitoyl Glycerophosphate, Butyric 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.
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
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 GlycolDipropylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
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 PropanediolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum