What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Tromethamine
BufferingSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
SurfactantSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Betaine
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Benzyl Glycol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
TonicCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Water, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Parfum, Arginine, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Betaine, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Benzyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Surfactin, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Disodium EDTA, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Gluconolactone, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Copper Tripeptide-1, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Ethylhexylglycerin
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingSaponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Water, Butylene Glycol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactobacillus, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Parfum
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that 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. Just 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 ingredientâs final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ 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 ParfumSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate is a surfactant and emulsifier.
This ingredient is a tetraester from oleic acid and polyethylene glycol ether of sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it helps ingredients such as oil and water mix together. This allows the dirt and oils in your skin to be washed away.
One study found pumpkin oil containing Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate helped hydrate the skin and did not cause any irritation.
Learn more about Sorbeth-30 TetraoleateWater. 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
