What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Mannitol
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Sucrose
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Citrulline
Skin ConditioningGlycogen
HumectantHistidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Threonine
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Cholesterol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Methyl Trimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trehalose, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Mannitol, Arginine, Serine, Sucrose, PCA, Citrulline, Glycogen, Histidine Hcl, Alanine, Tocopherol, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Cholesterol, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
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
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 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 StearateHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinWater. 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
