What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Dna
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycine
Buffering
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Leucine
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Streptococcus Thermophilus Ferment, Glycereth-26, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Dna, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Glycine, Proline, Glyceryl Glucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Leucine, Saccharide Isomerate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Glucose
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Saccharomyces Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Camellia Sinensis Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Valine
MaskingThreonine
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Glucose
Humectant
Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum
Emulsion Stabilising
Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningBacillus/Cordyceps Sinensis/Ganoderma Lucidum/Inonotus Obliquus/Lentinus Edodes/Phellinus Linteus/Schizophyllum Commune/Tricholoma Matsutake Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Disodium Succinate
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Saccharomyces Lysate, Saccharomyces/Camellia Sinensis Extract Ferment Filtrate, Valine, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Glucose, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus, Bacillus/Cordyceps Sinensis/Ganoderma Lucidum/Inonotus Obliquus/Lentinus Edodes/Phellinus Linteus/Schizophyllum Commune/Tricholoma Matsutake Extract Ferment Filtrate, Lecithin, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium Succinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, 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.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 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose 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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSaccharide Isomerate comes from sugars found in corn. It is a skin hydrator.
The structure of this ingredient can be altered to be more similar to the carbohydrates found in our skin. This ability to mimic our skin gives it hydrating properties.
Specifically, saccharide Isomerate is a humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air to our skin.
Research shows Saccharide Isomerate to be an effective moisturizer.
Learn more about Saccharide IsomerateWater. 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
