What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ceratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Algin
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Chloride
Agar
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Iris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Acrylates Copolymer, Niacinamide, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Algin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Chloride, Agar, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Collagen Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Corn Gluten Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Euglena Gracilis Polysaccharide
Gel FormingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingYeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningEriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSelaginella Tamariscina Extract
Skin ConditioningThuja Orientalis Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Arginine
Masking
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sclerotium Gum
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingHexylene Glycol
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Corn Gluten Amino Acids, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Euglena Gracilis Polysaccharide, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Yeast Ferment Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Selaginella Tamariscina Extract, Thuja Orientalis Leaf Extract, Lactic Acid, Arginine, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrolyzed Sclerotium Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Hexylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
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 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 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 HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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
