What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Sea Water
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningHizikia Fusiforme Extract
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Carbomer, Trehalose, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Sea Water, Panthenol, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Maltodextrin, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Hizikia Fusiforme Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Gelidium Cartilagineum Extract, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Sea Salt, Cynanchum Atratum Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Tromethamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Carbomer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol
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 GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
