What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Diisostearyl Malate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingEupenicillium Crustaceum Ferment Lysate Extract Filtrate
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract
HumectantNelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Chitosan
Diglycerin
Humectant
Sucrose Polystearate
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlucose
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingProtease
Exfoliating
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingSodium Phytate
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Diisostearyl Malate, 1,2-Hexanediol, C14-22 Alcohols, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Eupenicillium Crustaceum Ferment Lysate Extract Filtrate, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Cryptomeria Japonica Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Chitosan, Diglycerin, Sucrose Polystearate, Caprylyl Methicone, Methyl Trimethicone, Octyldodecanol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Protease, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Sodium Phytate, Beta-Glucan, Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Vinyldimethicone
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMadecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Xylitol
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Oil
Antimicrobial
Methylpropanediol
SolventAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthoxydiglycol
HumectantCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Glucose
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Sodium Laurate
CleansingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
C12-13 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingCollagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Copaifera Officinalis Resin
MaskingCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract
Antimicrobial
Silybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Taurine
BufferingGlycogen
HumectantHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Jasminum Officinale Oil
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Artemisia Absinthium Extract
Skin ConditioningMyrtus Communis Oil
Masking
Rose Flower Oil
Masking
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningAspartic Acid
Masking
Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil
Antimicrobial
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Camphor
Masking
Beta-Caryophyllene
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Oil/Extract
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Pinene
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Niacinamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Vinyldimethicone, Dicaprylyl Ether, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Stearyl Alcohol, Jojoba Esters, Beeswax, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Xylitylglucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Anhydroxylitol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Asiatic Acid, Glycoproteins, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Xylitol, Centella Asiatica Oil, Methylpropanediol, Allantoin, Propanediol, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Glucose, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Sodium Laurate, Cyclodextrin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Polyglycerin-3, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Lauric Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Octyldodecanol, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycolipids, Caffeine, Madecassoside, Centella Asiatica Extract, C12-13 Pareth-9, Collagen Amino Acids, Ceramide NP, Copaifera Officinalis Resin, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Resveratrol, Arginine, Taurine, Glycogen, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Ectoin, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Retinol, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Maltodextrin, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Phytosphingosine, Tocopherol, Sucrose Distearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Dna, Jasminum Officinale Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Myrtus Communis Oil, Rose Flower Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Cyanocobalamin, Aspartic Acid, Ferula Galbaniflua Resin Oil, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Camphor, Beta-Caryophyllene, Citrus Aurantium Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Peel Oil, Lavandula Oil/Extract, Linalyl Acetate, Pinene
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 GlycolCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate is an emollient that helps make your skin smooth and hydrated. It specializes in creating a non-oily and "wet" feeling on skin.
This ingredient comes from isostearic acid, a saturated fatty acid. It is a synthetic ingredient.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
