What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isododecane
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diglycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Propanediol
Solvent
Glucose
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Diglycerin, Carbomer, Polysorbate 80, Triethanolamine, Ectoin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Polyglutamate, Sorbitan Oleate, Bisabolol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propanediol, Glucose, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lespedeza Capitata Leaf/Stem Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate-13
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyisobutene
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Nonapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Water, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tranexamic Acid, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylate-13, Allantoin, Polyisobutene, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Nonapeptide-1, Silica
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 GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone 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 HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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
