What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSecale Cereale Seed Extract
AbrasiveSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientNylon-12
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
CleansingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Benzyl Salicylate
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantAlpinia Galanga Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Citronellol
PerfumingParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Silica, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Synthetic Wax, CI 77163, CI 77891, Secale Cereale Seed Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Nylon-12, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Alpinia Galanga Leaf Extract, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium EDTA, Citronellol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingHydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
HumectantSynthetic Wax
AbrasiveSilica
AbrasivePEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPropylene Carbonate
SolventHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Parfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Niacinamide, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Synthetic Wax, Silica, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, CI 15985, CI 77891, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Propylene Carbonate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cassia Angustifolia Seed Polysaccharide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 AdenosineAlcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
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 this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
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.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCi 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeThis is a silicone-based ingredient that helps create a smooth, silky, "bouncy" texture. It also acts as an emulsifier that prevents ingredients from separating in a formula.
Due to its large molecule size and water-insolubility, this ingredient is unlikely to be absorbed into skin. Irritation and sensitization tests have found reactions to silicones are considered very rare.
You'll likely see this ingredient in leave-on products at concentrations of 0.03%-3%.
Learn more about Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 CrosspolymerDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
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 GlycolDisteardimonium Hectorite comes from the clay mineral named hectorite. It is used to add thickness to a product.
It can also help stabilize a product by helping to disperse other ingredients.
Hectorite is a rare, white clay mineral.
Learn more about Disteardimonium HectoriteGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid yet.
Parfum 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 ParfumPeg-10 Dimethicone is silicone with conditioner and emulsifier properties. It mostly acts as an emollient in skincare and and humectant in haircare.
According to the manufacturer, acidic formulations decrease the stability of this ingredient. It works best in neutral or near neutral formulations.
Silica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaSodium 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 HyaluronateSynthetic Fluorphlogopite is the synthethic version of mica. It consists of fluorine, aluminum and silicate.
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite is used to add volume to products.
It is considered non-irritating on the skin.
Learn more about Synthetic FluorphlogopiteSynthetic Wax is a manufactured hydrocarbon wax. In formulas, it works as an occlusive emollient that helps reduce water loss and improves the spreadability of products.
Research comparing synthetic wax to traditional mineral-derived products found that formulas containing it perform as well for skin hydration.
It is considered non-comedogenic and vegan-friendly.
It has a well-established safety record by the CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety.
Learn more about Synthetic WaxWater. 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