What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
EmollientPolyacrylate-13
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMannitol
HumectantC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPolyisobutene
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPanax Ginseng Root Water
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPerilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
AntioxidantMyristic Acid
CleansingArachidic Acid
CleansingCholesterol
EmollientBupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantSilica
AbrasiveGlycine Max Oil
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantCanola Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Alcohol, C14-22 Alcohols, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Polyacrylate-13, Arachidyl Glucoside, Mannitol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Caprylate, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Carbomer, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Cholesterol, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Glucose, Silica, Glycine Max Oil, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyethylene
AbrasivePropylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialHomosalate
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberButylene Glycol
HumectantSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Niacinamide
SmoothingDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterVinyldimethicone
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningOzokerite
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate
EmulsifyingPinus Pinaster Bark Extract
AntioxidantBambusa Vulgaris Water
Skin ConditioningMesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract
HumectantHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin ProtectingUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientViola Mandshurica Flower Extract
AntioxidantDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin ConditioningPolyurethane-11
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAstaxanthin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantAscorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater, Polyethylene, Propylheptyl Caprylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Homosalate, Silica, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Niacinamide, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Vinyldimethicone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Ozokerite, Polyglyceryl-4 Diisostearate/Polyhydroxystearate/Sebacate, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Polyurethane-11, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Astaxanthin, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ascorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol
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 GlycolCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaWater. 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