What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract 1.05%
CleansingBacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Trehalose
HumectantArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMentha Haplocalix Extract
MaskingSnail Secretion Filtrate 0.025%
Skin ConditioningMenthyl Lactate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Oil
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCitral
PerfumingWater, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Centella Asiatica Extract 1.05%, Bacillus Ferment, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Trehalose, Arachidyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Olivate, Arginine, Carbomer, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Arachidyl Glucoside, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Mentha Haplocalix Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate 0.025%, Menthyl Lactate, Disodium EDTA, Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Water, Propanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Madecassoside, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Alternatives
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
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 AlcoholDisodium 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolWater. 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