What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
C30-45 Alkyl Methicone
Emollient
C30-45 Olefin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingO-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica
Abrasive
Isoceteth-10
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Algin
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Maris Aqua
HumectantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hypericum Perforatum Extract
AntimicrobialAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tilia Cordata Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polysorbate 80, Pentylene Glycol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Allantoin, C30-45 Alkyl Methicone, C30-45 Olefin, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sorbitan Oleate, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, Isoceteth-10, Hydrolyzed Algin, Citronellol, Geraniol, Linalool, Maris Aqua, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Hypericum Perforatum Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Flower Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract
Antimicrobial
Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Angelica Gigas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Arginine, Dimethiconol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Beta-Glucan, Disodium EDTA, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arbutin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
