What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Sorbitol
Humectant
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Acrylates Copolymer
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMaltose
MaskingSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Lactose
HumectantHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
CI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Sorbitol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Fructose, Urea, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Maltose, Sodium PCA, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Trehalose, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucose, Lactose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, CI 77007, Parfum, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Trehalose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Succinic Acid
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethylol Urea
AntimicrobialHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Algin
Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Water, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-7, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Trehalose, Glycerin, Succinic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethylol Urea, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Chloride, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Juice, Hydrolyzed Algin, Bacillus/Folic Acid Ferment Filtrate Extract, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Zinc Sulfate
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
Cocamidopropyl Betaine is a fatty acid created by mixing similar compounds in coconut oil and dimethylaminopropylamine, a compound with two amino groups.
This ingredient is a surfactant and cleanser. It helps gather the dirt, pollutants, and other impurities in your skin to be washed away. It also helps thicken a product and make the texture more creamy.
Being created from coconut oil means Cocamidopropyl Betaine is hydrating for the skin.
While Cocamidopropyl Betaine was believed to be an allergen, a study from 2012 disproved this. It found two compounds in unpure Cocamidopropyl Betaine to be the irritants: aminoamide and 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. High-grade and pure Cocamidopropyl Betaine did not induce allergic reactions during this study.
Learn more about Cocamidopropyl BetaineGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is a semi-synthetic polymer created from cellulose. In case you need a refresher, cellulose is the main component of plant cell walls.
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose has many uses:
- emulsifier
- create a gel-like texture
- boost foam
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTrehalose is a disaccharide made of two glucose molecules (glucose is sugar!). Trehalose is used to help moisturize skin. It also has antioxidant properties.
As a humectant, trehalose helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Due to its antioxidant properties, trehalose may help with signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, unstable molecules that may damage your skin.
In medicine, trehalose and hyaluronic acid are used to help treat dry eyes.
Some animals, plants, and bacteria create trehalose as a source of energy to survive freeze or lack of water.
Learn more about TrehaloseWater. 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
