What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Silica
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Methicone
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Silica, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methicone, Water, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Butylene Glycol, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA
Silica
Abrasive
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientWater
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Calamine
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Acorus Calamus Root Extract
Perfuming
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Silica, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Water, Mica, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Calamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Acorus Calamus Root Extract, Salicylic Acid, Propanediol, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated 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.
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 GlycolThis ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Learn more about Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone CrosspolymerDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidSilica, 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 SilicaTocopherol 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
