What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates Copolymer
Niacinamide
SmoothingCeratonia Siliqua Gum
EmollientChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantAlgin
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Chloride
Agar
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSucrose
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, 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 ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantIsopentyldiol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPropanediol
SolventPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantMethyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tromethamine
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningViola Mandshurica Flower Extract
AntioxidantDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAcmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantMadecassoside
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Isopentyldiol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Trehalose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Propanediol, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tromethamine, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Madecassoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed 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
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidHydroxyacetophenone 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