What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Silk Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningMarrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Meristem Cell Extract
HumectantSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Rumex Occidentalis Extract
Skin ConditioningNonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Dextran
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Water, Panthenol, Phospholipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Silk Amino Acids, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Butylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Hydrolyzed Verbascum Thapsus Flower, Avena Sativa Meristem Cell Extract, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Lactate, Rumex Occidentalis Extract, Nonapeptide-1, Dextran, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenethyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol 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 PanthenolPropanediol 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 PropanediolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
