What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Surfactant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Lauryl Glucoside, Lauryl Betaine, Propanediol, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Parfum, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-32
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentParfum
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polycaprolactone
StabilisingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPropanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
PEG-75
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Sapindus Mukorossi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentFragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, PEG-32, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Lauric Acid, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polycaprolactone, CI 77891, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactic Acid, PEG-75, Polyquaternium-10, Lactic Acid/Glycolic Acid Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Papain, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Sapindus Mukorossi Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
Disodium 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed 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 AcidParfum 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 āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā 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 ParfumPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Ā
Itās 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 PropanediolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideUndaria Pinnatifida Extract comes from a kelp native to the northern Pacific Ocean. It is more commonly known as "wakame".
This kelp contains fatty acids, sodium, calcium, iodine, thiamine, and niacin. Studies show a polysaccharide known as fucoidan exhibits strong antioxidant activities. Fucoidan can be found in the cell walls of many species of brown seaweed.
Wakame prefers cold and temperate oceans. It is used in Japanese and Korean cuisine (yummy!).
Learn more about Undaria Pinnatifida ExtractWater. 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
