What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Cyclohexane
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Cyclohexane, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbic Acid, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Spirulina Maxima Extract
SmoothingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-11
Lecithin
Emollient
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSucrose
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Propanediol, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Glyceryl Glucoside, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Spirulina Maxima Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysilicone-11, Lecithin, Chrysin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Sucrose, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triethyl Citrate, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Limonene
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
Disodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
While Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil can be volatile due to its fragrant properties, the fragrance components are usually removed in the leaf extract.
Rosemary Leaf Extract contains many antioxidants such as rosmarinic acid and caffeic acid. Rosemarinic acid, a compound found in rosemary leaf, has been found to help soothe skin conditions such as eczema and acne.
Learn more about Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf ExtractTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
