What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeArginine
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingSnail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Palmitic Acid, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Adenosine, Water, Myristic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
HumectantRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientArginine
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningCitrus Tangerina Peel Oil
MaskingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin ConditioningBoswellia Carterii Oil
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingCinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil
MaskingCholesterol
EmollientOleic Acid
EmollientLimonene
PerfumingWater, Propolis Extract, Honey Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Squalane, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Betaine, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arginine, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment, Saccharomyces Ferment, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Oil, Cholesterol, Oleic Acid, Limonene
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholWater. 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