This acne moisturizer is formulated around Niacinamide and Salicylic Acid to clear breakouts and refine the look of pores.
This barrier-repair moisturizer is formulated around Panthenol and Sodium Hyaluronate to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate skin.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSalicylic Acid
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantSuccinic Acid
BufferingMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Flavescens Root Extract
AntioxidantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingMenthyl Lactate
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Salicylic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Trehalose, Succinic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Disodium EDTA, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Menthyl Lactate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingDiglycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantTriethanolamine
BufferingMethylpropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantSophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningStephania Tetrandra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCnidium Monnieri Fruit Extract
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSpirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Diglycerin, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Methylpropanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Glucose, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Stephania Tetrandra Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Cnidium Monnieri Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Chlorphenesin, Hexylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 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