What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
SurfactantCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingGlycol Distearate
EmollientGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGlucose
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentLauric Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingWater, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Myristic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Glycolipids, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Ethylhexyl Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Squalane, Glucose, Sodium Lactate, Maltodextrin, Lauric Acid, Palmitic Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ceramide EOP
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
Glycerin (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 a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePanthenol 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 PanthenolPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is a plant-derived emulsifier whose only job is to keep the oily and watery parts of a formula blended so it doesn't separate into layers.
It's compatible with a wide-range of active ingredients and especially good at making emulsions survive heat/freeze cycles.
Typical use concentrations range from 2-3% and it works across a pH of 4.5-8.5.
This ingredient has been found safe to use in cosmetics and has a low irritation profile.
Because it's build on stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that falls within the range (C11-24) that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose DistearateWater. 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