What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPropanediol
SolventIsohexadecane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientOlive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Pentaoleate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEvodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Chloride
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPropylene Carbonate
SolventTin Oxide
AbrasiveMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Squalane, Isoamyl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Butylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Propanediol, Isohexadecane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Olive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Polyglyceryl-6 Pentaoleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Tin Oxide, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientPseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningBuddleja Officinalis Flower Extract
UV FilterLithothamnion Calcareum Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Amylopectin
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Glycerin, Squalane, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Pseudozyma Epicola/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil Ferment Extract Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract, Lithothamnion Calcareum Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Amylopectin, Potassium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Oleate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Lactic Acid
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.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
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Ā
Itās often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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