What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid
BufferingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingWater, Azelaic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Madecassoside, Tocopherol, Arginine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventBetaine
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalvia Officinalis Oil
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantGlucose
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingSodium Phytate
Dextrin
AbsorbentTocopherol
AntioxidantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Panthenol, Allantoin, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Glucose, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Sodium Phytate, Dextrin, Tocopherol, Dipropylene Glycol, Carbomer
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.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 GlycolChlorella Vulgaris Extract comes from a green microalga. It is hydrating and contains antioxidants.
Studies also show Chlorella Vulgaris may help in rebuilding collagen and elastin. This ingredient is made up of lipids, carbohydrates, and chlorophyll.
Fun fact: This ingredient is commonly used as food additive in Japan.
Learn more about Chlorella Vulgaris ExtractDextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinFructooligosaccharides (FOS) are a type of prebiotic sugar with humectant and skin conditioning properties. As a humectant, they help attract and hold moisture in the skin.
FOS essentially acts as a food source for the "good" bacteria on your skin and make it harder for "bad" bacteria to thrive. A 2022 study using a reconstructured human skin model found that just 1% of FOS was enough to shift the bacteria balance in favor of beneficial species. This suggests it could help support a healthier skin microbiome over time.
This ingredient has a low sensitization risk and testing shows it does not classify as a skin irritant or sensitizer.
FOS are usually produced from sugar beets and can also be found in foods like bananas, garlic, and onions.
Learn more about FructooligosaccharidesGlucose 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 GlycerinMadecassoside is one of four active compounds found in Centella asiatica and is one of the main reasons Centella is so effective at calming irritated skin and supporting the moisture barrier.
There's a solid body of peer-reviewed research backing Madecassoside for several skin benefits. Studies have found:
Madecassoside pairs well with other hydrating or antioxidant ingredients like Ascorbic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid.
Learn more about MadecassosidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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