What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPullulan
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCharcoal Powder
Abrasive
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Polyglycerin-10
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Collagen
Moisturising
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Pullulan, Pvp, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Charcoal Powder, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Polyglycerin-10, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Tromethamine, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Citric Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Phosphate, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Collagen, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Copper Tripeptide-1, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 PanthenolTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
