What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Kaolin
Abrasive
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-32
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Olive Oil PEG-8 Esters
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentLactose
HumectantSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingSucrose
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantArginine
Masking
Thymol Trimethoxycinnamate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantAcrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantPaeonia Suffruticosa Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicGlycerin, Water, Myristic Acid, Kaolin, Stearic Acid, PEG-32, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Olive Oil PEG-8 Esters, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Zea Mays Starch, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Lactose, Sodium Metaphosphate, Sucrose, Butylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Allantoin, Sodium Benzoate, CI 77891, Arginine, Thymol Trimethoxycinnamate, Niacinamide, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Propanediol, Glycolic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 77491, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, CI 77492, Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Coco-Betaine
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Polyquaternium-67
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Acetate
BufferingSodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Coptis Chinensis Root Extract
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Coco-Betaine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Cocoate, Potassium Benzoate, Polyquaternium-67, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acetate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Coptis Chinensis Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract
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
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinChances 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
