What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantDimethiconol
Emollient
Menthoxypropanediol
Masking
Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pyrus Malus Fruit Water
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, CI 14700, Dimethiconol, Menthoxypropanediol, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Water, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Palmitoyl Proline, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Plant Ash Extract
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDivinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Beheneth-10
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Menthol
Masking
Disodium EDTA
C12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingC12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingUrea
Buffering
Dextrin
AbsorbentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHexyl Nicotinate
EmollientSucrose
Humectant
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycoproteins, Plant Ash Extract, Tocopherol, Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Isononyl Isononanoate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Beheneth-10, Panthenol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Xanthan Gum, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Fructose, BHT, Glucose, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Menthol, Disodium EDTA, C12-13 Pareth-23, Laureth-7, C12-13 Pareth-3, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Urea, Dextrin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hexyl Nicotinate, Sucrose, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Alanine
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Biosaccharide Gum-1 is a sugar created by fermenting sorbitol (which usually comes from potato starch!). It is known for its soothing and moisturizing properties.
Manufacturer tests show this ingredient helped reduce irritation from lactic acid by almost half and kept skin hydrated long-term as a humectant
Beyond hydration, Biosaccharide Gum-1 gives formulas a silky, non-sticky feel.
This ingredient is gentle, versatile, and suitable for all skin types.
Fun fact: Similar sugars can be found naturally in fruits like apples and pears.
Learn more about Biosaccharide Gum-1Caprylyl 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 GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopheryl 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 AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
