What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate/Hema Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Linoleamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium PCA, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate/Hema Crosspolymer, Ascorbic Acid, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialMenthol
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Silanetriol
Butoxyethanol
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dicaprylyl Ether, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Menthol, Allantoin, Hyaluronic Acid, Silanetriol, Butoxyethanol, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, BHT, CI 42090, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
