What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polybutene
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Codium Tomentosum Extract
Skin ProtectingEnteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ecklonia Cava Extract
Skin ConditioningGelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Sea Whip Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Tridecane
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Paraffinum Liquidum, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Octyldodecanol, Polybutene, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Myristate, Undecane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Pearl Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Codium Tomentosum Extract, Enteromorpha Compressa Extract, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Ecklonia Cava Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Sea Whip Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Glycerin, Tridecane, Water, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Parfum
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Isododecane
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Polybutene
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Panax Ginseng Seed Oil
Emollient
Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Ocimum Basilicum Oil
Masking
Corylus Avellana Seed Oil
Emollient
Nigella Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panax Ginseng Berry Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventPanax Ginseng Extract
Antioxidant
Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Isododecane, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Octyldodecanol, Polybutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Tocopherol, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil, Corylus Avellana Seed Oil, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ethyl Hexanediol, Panax Ginseng Extract, Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Polybutene is used to help control the viscosity of a product. This just means it helps adjusts the texture.
It is a polymer and does not get absorbed into the skin due to its large size.
Studies found this ingredient did not irritate skin in concentrations below 15%.
Learn more about PolybuteneTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
