What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCoconut Acid
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingSodium Isethionate
CleansingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauryl Betaine, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coconut Acid, Sodium Chloride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Sodium Isethionate, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Decyl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingGlucose
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingMilk Protein Extract
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningBetula Alba Juice
AstringentHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingWater, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, C14-22 Alcohols, Polysorbate 80, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Decyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Arachidyl Alcohol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, Glucose, Glyceryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Milk Protein Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Betula Alba Juice, Hyaluronic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
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 GlycolCaprylyl 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 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 GlycolDisodium 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidWater. 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