What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPolyethylene
AbrasiveTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsostearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol Cocoate
EmulsifyingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantMannitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningRhamnose
HumectantLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylcellulose
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Polyethylene, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isostearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Xylitol, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Rhamnose, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylcellulose
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientPropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingDimethicone
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningToluene Sulfonic Acid
SurfactantAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Squalane, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysorbate 20, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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