What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycol Distearate
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientLauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingPolyquaternium-22
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPropanediol
SolventParfum
MaskingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAcrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
AntioxidantTetrasodium EDTA
Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningAcorus Calamus Root Extract
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycol Distearate, Palmitic Acid, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Polyquaternium-22, Lauryl Glucoside, Propanediol, Parfum, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Acorus Calamus Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingSekken Soji
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycol Distearate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Laureth Phosphate
EmulsifyingDistearyl Phthalic Acid Amide
EmollientCocamide Mea
EmulsifyingAcrylates Copolymer
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCitric Acid
BufferingO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingSerine
MaskingHistidine
HumectantAspartic Acid
MaskingThreonine
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantQuaternium-73
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSoy Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
AntioxidantWater, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sekken Soji, Sodium Chloride, Glycol Distearate, Butylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Distearyl Phthalic Acid Amide, Cocamide Mea, Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Glycerin, Citric Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Serine, Histidine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Quaternium-73, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Soy Amino Acids, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
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
Aspartic Acid is an amino acid that our bodies produce naturally. It is an antioxidant.
Our body uses Aspartic Acid to help build collagen and elastin. It also plays a role in hydrating skin.
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 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 GlycerinGlycol Distearate is an emulsifier and emollient that adds a "pearly" appearance to formulations.
That lustrous look you see in many shampoos is due to this ingredient: when cooled, it crystallizes into small platelets that reflect light to give products that rich, shimmering look.
This ingredient is considered safe at present practices of use and concentration and repeated insult patch test with 50% Glycol Distearate on 125 subjects found no evidence of skin irritation, hypersensitivity, or acute toxicity.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.1-10%.
Because it's an ester of stearic acid, it falls into the range that Malassezia likes to metabolize. This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Glycol DistearateHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about 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 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 Water