What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPolyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantSnail Secretion Filtrate 0.001%
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Polysorbate 60, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Potassium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Snail Secretion Filtrate 0.001%, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientAzelaic Acid
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDipropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientTrideceth-6
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Azelaic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Panthenol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Trideceth-6, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Lactic Acid, Decyl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
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 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Snail Secretion Filtrate is the excretion from snails. It is an effective moisturizer and promotes collagen production.
A popular nickname for this ingredient is 'Snail Mucin'.
Snail mucin has numerous skin benefits:
On top of this, Snail Secretion Filtrate contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. These include copper peptides, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. Vitamins A and E are antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals that damage skin cells.
Being cruelty-free means a brand does not experiment on animals.
If you're worried about the well-being of the snails, we recommend looking more into the company of the product. Many brands have developed humane methods to collect snail mucin.
There is much debate on this subject. On one hand, this ingredient comes from an animal. On the other hand, many will argue the ingredient is naturally secreted (like a natural by-product) and therefore vegan. If you have reservations, you can look into Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate or Centella Asiatica Extract as alternatives.
Learn more about Snail Secretion FiltrateSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Water. 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