What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycereth-26
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingVinyldimethicone
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientArginine
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSnail Extract
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Beeswax, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Vinyldimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Snail Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycereth-26
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningEthyl Hexanediol
SolventHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningNonapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Citric Acid, Tripeptide-1, Ethyl Hexanediol, Hexapeptide-9, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-11, Nonapeptide-1, Parfum
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 AdenosineButylene 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 GlycolThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.
It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.
As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.
Learn more about Glycereth-26Glyceryl 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 StearateWater. 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