What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Urea
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Bee Venom
Astringent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Althaea Rosea Root Extract
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Plantago Asiatica Extract
Skin ConditioningDiospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Ulmus Campestris Bark Extract
AstringentLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Water, Butylene Glycol, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Urea, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Bee Venom, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Beta-Glucan, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Ulmus Campestris Bark Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Adenosine, Polysorbate 20, Lecithin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Beta-Glucan, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Tocopherol
Alternatives
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
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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
