What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Tromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantTrisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Methicone, Trehalose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Beta-Glucan, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycoproteins, Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Trisodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Princeps Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Water, Artemisia Princeps Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Cetearyl Olivate, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Tromethamine, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylyl Methicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glucose, Beta-Glucan
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
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerBeta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanCaprylyl Methicone is a synthetic and lightweight silicone fluid. It gives products a silky, dry-touch finish without the heaviness of pure oils.
Though the EU CosIng Database lists this ingredient as a skin conditioner, it is also used for sensory reasons. It spreads easily, cuts greasiness, and reduces tackiness.
This ingredient is volatile which means it will mostly evaporate (but it evaporates slower than older cyclomethicones, like Cyclotetrasiloxane).
Typical concentration ranges from 1-30% depending on if it's being used to tweak the feel of a product or acting as the main emollient.
Learn more about Caprylyl MethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
