What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide 2%
SmoothingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlycolic Acid 0.5%
BufferingRosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
PerfumingHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract 0.3%
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Bisulfite
AntioxidantTetrasodium EDTA
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide 2%, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Glycolic Acid 0.5%, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract 0.3%, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Bisulfite, Tetrasodium EDTA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate/Hema Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSalicylic Acid
MaskingSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Cyclohexasiloxane
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyacrylamide
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientParfum
MaskingSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTorreya Nucifera Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentMannitol
HumectantLaureth-7
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantSucrose
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSalix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingCitric Acid
BufferingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 60, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate/Hema Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate, Salicylic Acid, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Chondrus Crispus Extract, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Parfum, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Torreya Nucifera Seed Oil, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Zea Mays Starch, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Mannitol, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, CI 77288, Sucrose, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
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 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 GlycerinThis ingredient is also known as tea tree oil. It has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Tea tree oil is a complex lipophilic (fat-loving) oil that contains around 100 compounds with terpinen-4-ol being the most abundant (~40%).
Terpinen-4-ol is responsible for tea tree oil's broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and makes it a well-researched option for acne.
Clinical studies support 5% tea tree oil as an effective topical treatment for mild to moderate acne. A study with 124 patients compared 5% tea tree oil gel to 5% benzoyl peroxide and both reduced acne (though tea tree oil worked more slowly).
Besides acne, it is also seen in anti-dandruff shampoos and scalp treatments for it's antimicrobial and anti-seborrheic properties.
Safety-wise, the allergic potential of low concentrations on healthy skin is considered low. However, oxidized (old or improperly stored) tea tree oil is a stronger sensitizer.
Irritation can also occur if using the undiluted oil on skin; it's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted cosmetic formula. This is because regulations require tea tree oil in cosmetics to be stabilized to prevent degradation.
This ingredient has been deemed safe up to 2% in shampoo, 1% in cleansers, and 0.1% in face cream by the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS).
There is some lab evidence that tea tree oil is antifungal against Malassezia, but it is a supportive option at best and not a replacement for proven antifungal treatments.
Learn more about Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf OilNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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