What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Alpinia Galanga Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMicrocitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Menthoxypropanediol
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Gluconolactone, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Decyl Glucoside, Bisabolol, Menthoxypropanediol, Sodium Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Sphingolipids, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
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.
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 GlycolGluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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
