What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Dimethicone, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 80, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Bakuchiol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Phaseolus Radiatus Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Retinol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Tocopherol, CI 17200, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPaeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipentaerythrityl Pentaisononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Trehalose
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipentaerythrityl Pentaisononanoate, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-14 Pareth-12, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tromethamine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Trehalose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone 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 DimethiconeThis ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Learn more about Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone CrosspolymerDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
