What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantGlycerin
HumectantDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingMethyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether
SolventLauryl Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether
SolventSodium Chloride
MaskingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Benzoate
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol
HumectantAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Decyl Glucoside, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Methyl Perfluoroisobutyl Ether, Lauryl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Sodium Chloride, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hexylene Glycol, Panthenol, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Potassium Benzoate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide NP, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantLauryl Betaine
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPolyquaternium-10
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingStyrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingGlutamic Acid
HumectantSerine
MaskingLysine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
MaskingArginine
MaskingThreonine
Proline
Skin ConditioningWater, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Lauryl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Potassium Cocoate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polyquaternium-10, Hexylene Glycol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium PCA, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Phosphatidylcholine, Ceramide NP, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Lysine, Alanine, Arginine, Threonine, Proline
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
Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
It is also used to make a product more thick.
Learn more about Acrylates CopolymerButylene 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 GlycolCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate is a surfactant and helps cleanse skin. It is created from the fatty acids of coconut oil.
Surfactants help rinse oil, dirt, and other pollutants easily from skin. It has a faint fruit-like scent.
Disodium 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePanthenol 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 PanthenolPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate is an amino acid-based surfactant and cleaning agent. This ingredient can be derived from animals or plants. It may also be synthetically created from fatty acids of the coconut and glycine.
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate is a gentle surfactant. Surfactants help gather the dirt, oil, and other pollutants from your skin to be rinsed away. It is a mild cleanser and naturally produces foam.
Chances 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 ChlorideWater. 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