What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Dextrin
AbsorbentAsiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Arginine, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ectoin, Arbutin, Asiaticoside, Dextrin, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantEclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Disodium EDTA
Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBetula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Angelica Keiskei Extract
Antioxidant
Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRumex Crispus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantSucrose
Humectant
Natto Gum
Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract
HumectantNelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Dipropylene Glycol, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Disodium EDTA, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract, Fructooligosaccharides, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Angelica Keiskei Extract, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Rumex Crispus Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Sucrose, Natto Gum, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser. On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWater. 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
