What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propolis Extract 85.3%
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCentaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Borago Officinalis Extract
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Salvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Honey Extract
Humectant
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide
AbsorbentCopper Ascorbyl Phosphate Succinoyl Tripeptide-34
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-6
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Propolis Extract 85.3%, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Betaine, Sodium Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Borago Officinalis Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Hyacinthus Orientalis Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tocopherol, Honey Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lecithin, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Aphanothece Sacrum Polysaccharide, Copper Ascorbyl Phosphate Succinoyl Tripeptide-34, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-3, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Oligopeptide-6, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Lecithin
Emollient
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
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
Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.
The way it works is fairly well mapped out:
Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.
The clinical backing is pretty solid too.
A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.
A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.
On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.
This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.
Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene 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 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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinWater. 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
