What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-32
HumectantIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientDimethiconol
Emollient
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Honey Extract
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantTrideceth-10
CleansingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Pvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSerine
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialAlgin
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Pullulan
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sebacic Acid
Buffering10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
Skin Conditioning1,10-Decanediol
SolventWater, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-32, Isononyl Isononanoate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Dimethiconol, Alpha-Arbutin, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Honey Extract, Urea, Trehalose, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Trideceth-10, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Serine, Pentylene Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Potassium Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Sebacic Acid, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid, 1,10-Decanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Diglycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientMethyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentEclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingArtemisia Annua Extract
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Tetraacetylphytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Diglycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Methyl Trimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Artemisia Annua Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Disodium EDTA, Cellulose Gum, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Fructooligosaccharides, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Stearic Acid, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Tocopherol, Ceramide AP, Glycosphingolipids, Xanthan Gum, Ectoin, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP
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
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 a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneTocopherol 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
