What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Phyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum
Emulsion Stabilising
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Glucose
Humectant
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentWater, Betaine, Glycerin, Propanediol, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Phyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Aspergillus Ferment, Sodium Gluconate, Hyaluronic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Tamarindus Indica Seed Gum, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glucose, Cyclodextrin
Centella Asiatica Extract 49%
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Polysilicone-15
UV Filter
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Centella Asiatica Extract 49%, Water, Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Polysilicone-15, 1,2-Hexanediol, Beta-Glucan, Allantoin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Behenyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glucose, T-Butyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA
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
Beta-Glucan is a soluble polysaccharide (a chain of glucose sugars) sourced from the cells walls of oats, baker's yeast, mushrooms, and seaweed.
It's a rare ingredient that pulls double-duty as a heavy-duty hydrator and skin-soothing repair agent.
On the surface, it acts as a humectant that holds water in place and reduces moisture loss for a plumper, smoother feel, while its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties make it a great pick for calming redness or sensitive skin
The more interesting story is underneath:
Despite its large molecular size, oat beta-glucan has been shown to penetrate the epidermis and reach the dermis by slipping between skin cells. Here, it interacts with fibroblasts and macrophages to nudge collagen synthesis and support wound repair.
A small 2005 split-face clinical study of 27 subjects found topical beta-glucan produced measurable reductions in wrinkle depth, height, and roughness after 8 weeks of use.
It is worth noting the trial was small and the penetration testing used frozen, irradiated skin so the anti-aging data is encouraging rather than definitive.
This ingredient gets along with pretty much everything and is typically used around 0.1-1%.
Fungal acne: This ingredient is not a food source for the Malassezia yeast because it is a glucose polysaccharide with no fatty acid or ester component.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanButylene 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 GlycolGlucose 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 GlycerinWater. 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
