What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Snail Secretion Filtrate 88%
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBetaine
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventArginine
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSnail Secretion Filtrate 88%, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Water, Triethylhexanoin, Phenoxyethanol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Arginine, Allantoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Adenosine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPolyacrylate-13
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantTriethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventPolyisobutene
Sodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Absinthium Extract
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingGentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningFragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningFragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Polyacrylate-13, Dipropylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Adenosine, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycerin, Alcohol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Propylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Potassium Sorbate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerCetearyl 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 AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is an emulsifier and texture enhancer. It is derived from the fatty acids of olive oil and Cetearyl alcohol, and is biodegradable.
As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent oils and waters from separating. It can also
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Sorbitan Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may feed that yeast, so it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateCopper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a skin repairing ingredient known for its ability to boost collagen, improve firmness, and support skin regeneration.
It is a complex made up of a naturally occurring peptide (glycine-histidine-lysine) and copper, an essential trace element.
While studying wound healing, researchers noticed GHK-Cu stimulated hair follicle enlargement and growth by keeping hair in its active growth phase longer. This has made it a promising ingredient for hair regrowth treatments.
Some people have reported increased facial hair. While GHK-Cu can make your hair follicles bigger, it usually doesn’t turn soft, barely-visible facial hairs into thick, dark ones.
Anecdotal reports suggest that overusing copper peptides might lead to premature aging due to excess free copper or enzyme imbalances. This claim isn’t backed by large-scale studies.
Unfortunately, there are limited human studies for this ingredient. While early results are promising, many studies are either small, in-vitro, or not rigorously controlled.
For example, there is a 1998 study that explored the effects of copper tripeptide, vitamin C, tretinoin, and melatonin on skin repair and collagen synthesis.
After one month, increased procollagen production was seen in 7 out of 10 participants using copper tripeptide (more than those using vitamin C, melatonin, or tretinoin.
While the study was exploratory, it offers early evidence that copper tripeptide may support collagen production. Larger, well-designed trials are still needed to confirm its potential and understand individual responses.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Copper Tripeptide-1Snail Secretion Filtrate is the excretion from snails. It is an effective moisturizer and promotes collagen production.
A popular nickname for this ingredient is 'Snail Mucin'.
Snail mucin has numerous skin benefits:
On top of this, Snail Secretion Filtrate contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. These include copper peptides, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. Vitamins A and E are antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals that damage skin cells.
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 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.
Learn more about Snail Secretion FiltrateSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Sorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may feed that yeast, so it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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