What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentaurea Cyanus Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Chrysanthemum Sinense Flower Extract
CleansingOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningWater, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Pentylene Glycol, Lactobionic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Propanediol, Chrysanthemum Sinense Flower Extract, Oleanolic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Gluconate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Ceramide NP, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningEnantia Chlorantha Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pistacia Lentiscus Gum
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingWater, Gluconolactone, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium PCA, Pentylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Caprylyl Glycol, Oleanolic Acid, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pistacia Lentiscus Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenethyl Alcohol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideWe don't have a description for Enantia Chlorantha Bark Extract yet.
Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinOleanolic acid is a type of triterpene.
Triterpenes are chemical compounds found in various plants such as pomegranates, apples, basil, and rosemary. They have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium PCA (the salt of PCA) is one of the most well-established humectants in skincare.
Why is it so special? Your skin already makes it naturally; it's a natural component of your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the mix of water-binding compounds inside your skin cells that keeps things soft and hydrated.
As a cosmetic ingredient, it grabs water and holds it in the upper layers of skin to smooth roughness and ease dehydration.
There's some clinical support for the NMF approach with a study showing that a cream built to mimic the skin's NMF significantly boosted hydration.
Safety-wise, this ingredient non-irritating, non-comedogenic, and non-phototoxic in testing, with minimal skin absorption.
It also works really well with other hydrators like glycerin or hyaluronic acid, and typical usage is somewhere between 0.2-4%.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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
