What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyester-5
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylpropanediol
SolventVp/Va Copolymer
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Starch
Glyceryl Caprylate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Rosa Damascena Flower Extract
Masking
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Troxerutin
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polyacrylate-21
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Artemisia Argyi Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Acrylates/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicGentiana Scabra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantCholesterol
Emollient
C11-15 Pareth-40
CleansingC11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate
Cleansing
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Nitrogen
Water, Polyester-5, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylpropanediol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Parfum, Hydroxypropyl Starch, Glyceryl Caprylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Troxerutin, Allantoin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Centella Asiatica Extract, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Zinc PCA, Caffeine, Cyclodextrin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polyacrylate-21, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Artemisia Argyi Leaf Extract, Octyldodecanol, Acrylates/Dimethylaminoethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Ceramide NP, Medicago Sativa Extract, Gentiana Scabra Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Polyglutamate, Cholesterol, C11-15 Pareth-40, C11-15 Pareth-7, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate, Potassium Sorbate, Nitrogen
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
Tromethamine
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Pvp, Chlorphenesin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Fruit Extract, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Tromethamine, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Calcium Gluconate, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidHydroxyacetophenone 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 HydroxyacetophenoneMethylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.
As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.
Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.
Learn more about MethylpropanediolParfum 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 ParfumPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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
