Kiehl's Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence Versus Kanebo Dew Superior Ex Essence Finalizer
Updated on February 13, 2025
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe essences. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain exfoliants and hyaluronic acid
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols and fragrances
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Kiehl's Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence 19 ingredients
Kanebo Dew Superior Ex Essence Finalizer 44 ingredients
What's inside (and what isn't)
What's inside (and what isn't)
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Kiehl's Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence 19 ingredients
Kanebo Dew Superior Ex Essence Finalizer 44 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
MaskingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Methyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Tetrasodium EDTA
Iris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Methyl Gluceth-10, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Adenosine, Limonene
Carnitine
CleansingAminobutyric Acid
Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sorbitol
Humectant
Polianthes Tuberosa Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclomethicone
Emollient
PEG-80
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethyl Glucoside
HumectantMethyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-40
Humectant
Polyvinylalcohol Crosspolymer
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyhydroxybutyrate
Abrasive
Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
Emollient
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingPrunus Armeniaca Seed Powder
Abrasive
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentDioscorea Opposita Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Marrow Extract
Skin ConditioningRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMethyl Alcohol
Solvent
Tetrasodium EDTA
Yeast Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Methylserine
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningCarnitine, Aminobutyric Acid, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Water, Alcohol Denat., Sorbitol, Polianthes Tuberosa Polysaccharide, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, PEG-80, Butylene Glycol, Ethyl Glucoside, Methyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane, Potassium Hydroxide, PEG-40, Polyvinylalcohol Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Polyhydroxybutyrate, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein, Algae Extract, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Seed Powder, Soluble Collagen, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Dioscorea Opposita Root Extract, Niacinamide, Marrow Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Juice, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Methyl Alcohol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Yeast Extract, Parfum, Methylserine, Glucosamine, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Carotene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created stabilizer and solvent. It is a part of the glycol class in the alcohol family.
Dipropylene Glycol helps dissolve and evenly distribute ingredients. It also helps decrease viscosity and thin out texture.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Water. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterIngredient Ratings
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