What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantLauryl Betaine
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
EmulsifyingBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Paradisi Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlucose
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCandida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantWater, Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Glucoside, Lauryl Betaine, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Beeswax, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, Disodium EDTA, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Bifida Ferment Filtrate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
CleansingPropanediol
SolventPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Acrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSalicylic Acid
MaskingGlycol Distearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Water, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Propanediol, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cocoate, Sorbitan Olivate, Salicylic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Disodium EDTA
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 GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 Water