What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
AstringentLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
MaskingChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polysorbate 80, Carbomer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPropanediol
SolventSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
EmollientArginine
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingDisodium EDTA
Glycerin
HumectantMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMedicago Sativa Extract
TonicRaphanus Sativus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Extract
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Propanediol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Arginine, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Carbomer, Parfum, Allantoin, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Medicago Sativa Extract, Raphanus Sativus Seed Extract, Brassica Campestris Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid
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 AdenosineCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 Water