What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Cetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLimonene
PerfumingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingMyristic Acid
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantAcrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Adenosine, Palmitic Acid, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limonene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Linalool, Citronellol, Myristic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Lauric Acid, Tocopherol, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Ceramide NP
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantPolyglycerin-3
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantArbutin
AntioxidantBacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
Masking
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
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum