What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Octadecene
SolventHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Tromethamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Stearyl Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Octadecene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Parfum, Tromethamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMorus Alba Root Extract
BleachingTromethamine
BufferingBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentGuaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Acetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-11
Bacillus/Folic Acid/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Polysorbate 60, Candelilla Cera, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Morus Alba Root Extract, Tromethamine, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Guaiazulene, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Lecithin, Acetyl Glutamine, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Bacillus/Folic Acid/Soybean Ferment Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, 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
Glycerin (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 Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
