What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingGlucose
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingMilk Protein Extract
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningBetula Alba Juice
AstringentHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingWater, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, C14-22 Alcohols, Polysorbate 80, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Decyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Arachidyl Alcohol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Glucose, Glyceryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Milk Protein Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Betula Alba Juice, Hyaluronic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlucose
HumectantCoco-Glucoside
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glucose, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate
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
Arachidyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol made from the the arachidic acid found in peanut oil.
Despite having "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethanol.
This ingredient is a multitasker:
Just be sure to patch this ingredient if you have a peanut allergy (though this ingredient is highly processed and the allergenic proteins are typically removed).
Learn more about Arachidyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a plant-based surfactant and emulsifier. It helps oil and water based ingredients mix evenly to improve formula stability without adding a "greasy" feel.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholButylene 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 GlycolCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract comes from the meat of the coconut fruit. It is an emollient and skin conditioner with antioxidant properties.
Coconut fruit is naturally rich in amino acids, sugars, and nutrients including Vitamin C and small amounts of vitamin B. Malic acid can also be found in coconut fruit extract.
Glucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateWater. 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