What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Cera
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningEctoin, Water, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Squalane, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oryza Sativa Bran Cera, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Carbomer, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Glycine, Alanine, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glycerin, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Triacetin
AntimicrobialEctoin, Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Urea, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Panthenol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Lecithin, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Triacetin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ectoin is a compound found naturally in some species of bacteria. It can be synthetically created for skincare use.
This ingredient is an osmolyte; Osmolytes help organisms survive osmotic shock (it protects them from extreme conditions). It does this by influencing the properties of biological fluids within cells.
When applied to the skin, ectoin helps bind water molecules to protect our skin. The water forms a sort of armor for the parts of our skin cells, enzymes, proteins, and more.
Besides this, ectoin has many uses in skincare:
A study from 2004 found ectoin to counteract the damage from UV-A exposure at different cell levels. It has also been shown to protect skin against both UV-A, UV-B rays, infrared light, and visible light.
Studies show ectoin to have dual-action pollution protection: first, it protects our skin from further pollution damage. Second, it helps repair damage from pollution.
In fact, ectoin has been shown to help with:
Fun fact: In the EU, ectoin is used in inhalation medication as an anti-pollution ingredient.
Ectoin is a highly stable ingredient. It has a wide pH range of 1-9. Light, oxygen, and temperature do not affect this ingredient.
The chemical name for this ingredient is Tetrahydromethylpyrimidine Carboxylic Acid.
Learn more about EctoinGlycerin (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 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
