What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantTriethanolamine
BufferingSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Triethanolamine, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Allantoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethiconol
EmollientPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlucose
HumectantSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningEthyl Hexanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantAlanine/Histidine/Lysine Polypeptide Copper Hcl
Skin ConditioningNonapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Polydecene, C14-22 Alcohols, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, PEG-100 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethiconol, Polysorbate 80, Parfum, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Adenosine, Sorbitan Oleate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucose, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Ethyl Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Hexapeptide-11, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Alanine/Histidine/Lysine Polypeptide Copper Hcl, Nonapeptide-1
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 StearateParfum 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 ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSnail Secretion Filtrate (the slimy mucus that garden snails produce) is a multitasking ingredient that shows up in "skin repair" formulas.
This ingredient works because it's a grab bag of skin-friendly stuff like:
In a formula, it acts as a humectant and barrier-supporting soother and the research backs this up as well.
A 2025 systematic review of human clinical trials found that snail-derived ingredients improved signs of aging, increased skin hydration, decreased transepidermal water loss, and improved healing after radiation therapy/fractional laser treatment.
Lab studies have also shown the secretion promotes the proliferation, migration, and survival of the cells that rebuild skin (keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts).
There's also a placebo-controlled study where a serum containing it helped with mask-related acne.
Overall, this is a gentle, water-based multitasker that works great for hydrating and supporting the skin barrier. However, please see the section below if you have dust mite or shellfish allergies.
You'll see snail filtrate listed at very different percentages depending on the product. Some Korean serums list it near the top of the ingredients at 90% or more while other products use just a few percent.
This doesn't mean the high-percentage ones are far stronger. Raw snail filtrate is mostly water to begin with so using a lot of it isn't the same thing as using a lot of the active ingredients.
Other products use a concentrated version so a small amount goes a long way. Either approach can work well. Just know the percentage on the label isn't a reliable way to judge how effective a snail product will be.
Being cruelty-free means a brand does not experiment on animals. If you're worried about the well-being of the snails, we recommend looking more into the company of the product. Many brands claim to have developed humane methods to collect snail mucin.
There is much debate on this subject. On one hand, this ingredient comes from an animal. On the other hand, many will argue the ingredient is naturally secreted (like a natural by-product) and therefore vegan. If you have reservations, you can look into Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate or Centella Asiatica Extract as alternatives.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe. Its core composition lacks the fatty acid/ester triggers that Malassezia depends on.
True allergy to Snail Secretion Filtrate is uncommon and most documented cases are linked to a dust mite allergy.
Snail proteins (including Tropomyosin) are similar enough to dust mite proteins that the immune system can confuse them.
In most documented cases, the dust mite was the original trigger and tropomyosin turned out to be only a minor player in some studies (so this has not been fully confirmed).
Another thing to know is that nearly all the evidence comes from eating snails or inhaling the protein and not from cosmetics.
However, the allergenic proteins can survive filtration into a finished product; a topical reaction is biologically plausible but there's little published evidence of it actually happening.
People who are allergic to dust mites (or sometimes shellfish) are the most likely to react.
Learn more about Snail Secretion FiltrateWater. 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