What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
Humectant
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycogen
HumectantSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium DNA
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycine
Buffering
Urea
Buffering
Fructose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Ecklonia Cava Water
Skin ProtectingWater, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, DMDM Hydantoin, Propanediol, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Hydrolyzed Collagen, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Glycogen, Sorbitan Isostearate, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium DNA, Lactic Acid, Glycine, Urea, Fructose, Inositol, Niacinamide, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Chloride, Benzoic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ecklonia Cava Water
Sea Water 62%
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
DNA
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAmino Esters-1
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicPearl Powder
Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract
MaskingOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicTocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sea Water 62%, Glycerin, Water, Methylpropanediol, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, DNA, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Amino Esters-1, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Caffeine, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Sodium Metabisulfite, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Pearl Powder, Lawsonia Inermis Flower/Fruit/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Biotin, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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
