What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyquaternium-10
Prunus Amygdalus Amara Kernel Oil
MaskingHaematococcus Pluvialis Extract
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
SurfactantCitric Acid
BufferingPyrus Malus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTetradecene
EmollientHexadecene
SolventDisodium EDTA
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Officinale Flower Water
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningRosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantEriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLeonurus Sibiricus Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-10, Prunus Amygdalus Amara Kernel Oil, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Citric Acid, Pyrus Malus Leaf Extract, Tetradecene, Hexadecene, Disodium EDTA, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Leonurus Sibiricus Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Boreale Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningThuja Orientalis Leaf Extract
AntioxidantArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDimethicone
EmollientGleditsia Japonica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingAcorus Calamus Rhizome Water
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCnidium Officinale Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
SurfactantTriethanolamine
BufferingPEG-10
HumectantGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantMenthol
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLactobacillus/Centella Asiatica/Gleditsia Sinensis Thorn/Houttuynia Cordata Extract/Phellodendron Amurense Bark/Polygonum Cuspidatum Root/Prunella Vulgaris/Torilis Japonica Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingLauramine Oxide
CleansingOak Vinegar
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Keratin
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLinalool
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingWater, Chrysanthemum Boreale Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Thuja Orientalis Leaf Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Dimethicone, Gleditsia Japonica Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Acorus Calamus Rhizome Water, Parfum, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Cocamide Mea, Decylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Carbomer, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Triethanolamine, PEG-10, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Menthol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lactobacillus/Centella Asiatica/Gleditsia Sinensis Thorn/Houttuynia Cordata Extract/Phellodendron Amurense Bark/Polygonum Cuspidatum Root/Prunella Vulgaris/Torilis Japonica Extract Ferment Filtrate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Lauramine Oxide, Oak Vinegar, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol
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
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideThis ingredient is a surfactant and foam producer.
Water. 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