What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate
SurfactantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Guaiazulene Sulfonate, Pentylene Glycol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Madecassoside
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Amp-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantDendrobium Nobile Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cistus Monspeliensis Extract
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Medicago Sativa Extract
TonicSodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Ether, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Amp-Acrylates/Allyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Trehalose, Sodium Polyaspartate, Dendrobium Nobile Stem Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Citric Acid, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Panthenol, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Ectoin, Maltodextrin, Saccharide Isomerate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Cistus Monspeliensis Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Sodium Citrate
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
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
