What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventIsododecane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Water
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSea Water
HumectantC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Aluminum Sucrose Octasulfate
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Isododecane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C14-22 Alcohols, Water, Behenyl Alcohol, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Cetyl Phosphate, Sea Water, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Isopentyldiol, Parfum, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Aluminum Sucrose Octasulfate, Disodium EDTA, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Cellulose, Sodium Surfactin, T-Butyl Alcohol, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientIsostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylcellulose
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Isostearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylcellulose, Polyquaternium-51, Adenosine, Palmitic Acid, Arachidyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Glucose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
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
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholDisodium 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 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 GlycerinTromethamine 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
