What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Panax Ginseng Root Water
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCollagen Water
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAlgin
MaskingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Chloride
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientGlucomannan
Skin ConditioningSucrose
HumectantTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Adenosine
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTin Oxide
AbrasiveHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialRetinal
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPanax Ginseng Root Water, Water, Glycerin, Collagen Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chondrus Crispus, Hydroxyacetophenone, Algin, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Glucomannan, Sucrose, Titanium Dioxide, Mica, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Adenosine, Maltodextrin, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Tin Oxide, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP, Caprylyl Glycol, Bakuchiol, Retinal, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantChondrus Crispus Powder
AbrasiveCalcium Chloride
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAllantoin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Sodium Phytate
Parfum
MaskingTin Oxide
AbrasiveCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPropanediol
SolventHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingIpomoea Batatas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningColeus Forskohlii Root Extract
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantUrea
BufferingSerine
MaskingMicrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningAlgin
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingPullulan
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Calcium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Sodium Phytate, Parfum, Tin Oxide, CI 77891, Propanediol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract, Trehalose, Urea, Serine, Micrococcus Lysate, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Potassium Phosphate, Pullulan, Sodium Hyaluronate
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
Algin is brown algae. Algae is an informal term for a group of aquatic organisms that can photosynthesize. It is estimated there are at least 30,000 types of Algae.
Algae contains antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinButylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCeratonia Siliqua Gum is extracted from the seeds of the carob tree. You might know this ingredient as Carob Gum or Locust Bean Gum. It is used to stabilize other ingredients and improve the texture of products.
Carob gum is made up of long-chain polysaccharides. This makes it a natural thickener.
Yes! This ingredient comes from the seeds of a tree. The name 'Locust Bean Gum' can be misleading.
Learn more about Ceratonia Siliqua GumGlycerin (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 HydroxyacetophenoneSynthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is used to add volume to products.
It is considered non-irritating on the skin.
Learn more about Synthetic FluorphlogopiteTin Oxide is an inorganic oxide used to add opacity and volume to a product. In nature, it is already found in mineral form. The main ore of tin is an opaque and shiny mineral called casseterite.
Tin Oxide helps remove translucency in a product, or make it more opaque. Besides adding opacity, tin oxide is used for bulking to add volume.
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 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