What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Stearyl Behenate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Ceteareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Meadowfoam Estolide
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Aleuritic Acid
Skin ConditioningYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerylamidoethyl Methacrylate/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
HumectantAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Stearyl Behenate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Glycosphingolipids, Ceramide AP, Meadowfoam Estolide, Glycine Soja Sterols, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ceramide EOP, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Aleuritic Acid, Yeast Extract, Glycoproteins, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyquaternium-51, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerylamidoethyl Methacrylate/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Propylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Niacinamide, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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
