What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Propylene Glycol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Arginine, Panthenol, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyglutamic Acid, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Betaine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingErythritol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTin Oxide
Abrasive
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopherol, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Erythritol, Disodium EDTA, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Tin Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, CI 16035
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
Butylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract yet.
Hydroxyacetophenone 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
