What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTannic Acid
AstringentOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin Protecting
Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Castanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Tannic Acid, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Gluconolactone, Soluble Collagen, Papain, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Betaine Salicylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-51, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosterols, Disodium EDTA, Chlorphenesin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Dimethicone
Emollient
Annona Cherimola Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Polysilicone-11
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Phenylpropanol
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHeptapeptide-6
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Azelaic Acid, Dimethicone, Annona Cherimola Fruit Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Ectoin, Polysilicone-11, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzoic Acid, Carbomer, Dehydroacetic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Phenylpropanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Heptapeptide-6, Sodium Hydroxide
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
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.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
