What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Glycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingSimethicone
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Methylpropanediol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycereth-26, Cetearyl Olivate, Water, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Sorbitan Olivate, Stearic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Malt Extract, Simethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aroma
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Acrylic Acid, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Stearic Acid, Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Aroma
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
