What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
EmollientPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Coco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingPolyquaternium-7
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingArachidic Acid
CleansingDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingQuillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Polyquaternium-7, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Arachidic Acid, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oleic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantLactic Acid
BufferingPanax Ginseng Root Water
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBupleurum Chinense Root Extract
AstringentAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Lauryl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Parfum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bupleurum Chinense Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Tocopherol
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidCoco-Glucoside is a surfactant, or a cleansing ingredient. It is made from glucose and coconut oil.
Surfactants help gather dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away.
This ingredient is considered gentle and non-comedogenic. However, it may still be irritating for some.
Learn more about Coco-GlucosideDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumWater. 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