What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDonkey Oil 6%
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dictamnus Dasycarpus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOldenlandia Diffusa Extract
Skin ConditioningCyclopia Intermedia Leaf Extract
HumectantPyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Milk Protein Extract
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Donkey Oil 6%, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Bertholletia Excelsa Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Niacinamide, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dictamnus Dasycarpus Root Extract, Oldenlandia Diffusa Extract, Cyclopia Intermedia Leaf Extract, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Cereus Grandiflorus Flower Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Milk Protein Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Betaine, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
4-Terpineol
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lactate, 4-Terpineol, Water
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
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolCetearyl 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 GlycerinSodium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
