What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Amodimethicone
Water
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingMirabilis Jalapa Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylamide
Propanediol
Solvent
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Amodimethicone, Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, Laureth-7, Mirabilis Jalapa Extract, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Propanediol, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Olivate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTropolone
Skin ConditioningMethyl Caprooyl Tyrosinate
Skin ProtectingArginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Stearate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phytosterols, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Tropolone, Methyl Caprooyl Tyrosinate, Arginine, Carbomer, Sodium Hyaluronate
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
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 PropanediolSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
