What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingJojoba Esters
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientVigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventOpuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil
EmollientNigella Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientCaprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCellulose
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLevan
Skin ProtectingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingZiziphus Jujuba Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil
Skin ConditioningCitral
PerfumingFarnesol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Jojoba Esters, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Cetyl Alcohol, Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract, Glycerin, Propanediol, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Seed Oil, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Levan, Decyl Glucoside, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ziziphus Jujuba Seed Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil, Citral, Farnesol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantAcetyl Octapeptide-3
HumectantGlyceryl Dilaurate
EmollientPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantGlycosaminoglycans
EmollientHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantTripeptide-10
Skin ConditioningCitrulline
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Urea
BufferingGlucose
HumectantGuanidine Hcl
BufferingDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantPantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Glycosaminoglycans, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tripeptide-10, Citrulline, Tripeptide-1, Lecithin, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Urea, Glucose, Guanidine Hcl, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Panthenol, Phospholipids, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Pvp, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Pantothenic Acid
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
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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