What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Carbomer, Arginine, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Adenosine, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Water
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Aspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPerilla Frutescens Leaf Extract
MaskingCommiphora Myrrha Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningYucca Schidigera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, 1,2-Hexanediol, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Carbomer, Arginine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Perilla Frutescens Leaf Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Yucca Schidigera Root Extract
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
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholWater. 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
