What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventMethyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Orchid Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Morinda Citrifolia Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningVigna Radiata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Flower Extract
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Ethylcellulose
Disodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAgar
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnolol
Antioxidant
Honokiol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Methylpropanediol, Methyl Trimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Betaine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Orchid Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Leaf Extract, Vigna Radiata Seed Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Flower Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Isostearyl Alcohol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Fructooligosaccharides, Ethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Agar, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Xanthan Gum, Magnolol, Honokiol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
Avena Sativa Seed Water 77%
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
2,3-Butanediol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Surfactin
CleansingBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Seed Water 77%, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 2,3-Butanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Squalane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Panthenol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Sodium Surfactin, Beta-Glucan
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
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerBeta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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
