What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Menthol
Masking
Trideceth-10
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPrunus Mume Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Flower Extract
MoisturisingAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningViola Mandshurica Flower Extract
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningInula Britannica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLysimachia Foenum-Graecum Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Caffeine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, Carbomer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Menthol, Trideceth-10, Disodium EDTA, Betaine, Glycerin, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Prunus Mume Flower Extract, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Flower Extract, Inula Britannica Flower Extract, Lysimachia Foenum-Graecum Extract
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-13 Alketh-9
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicMenthol
Masking
Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide
TonicAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Bacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Malt Extract
Skin ProtectingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingMethionine
Skin ConditioningCysteine
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentAllium Cepa Bulb Extract
Skin Conditioning
Artemisia Capillaris Extract
Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Nigra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Berberis Vulgaris Root Extract
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCornus Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAlisma Orientale Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Smilax Glabra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Dextran
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentParfum
Masking
Alcohol Denat., Water, C12-13 Alketh-9, Butylene Glycol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Caffeine, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Biotin, Menthol, Ethyl Menthane Carboxamide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glycerin, Bacillus Ferment, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Malt Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Panthenol, Disodium EDTA, Aminomethyl Propanol, Methionine, Cysteine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Allium Cepa Bulb Extract, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Morus Nigra Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Berberis Vulgaris Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Alisma Orientale Tuber Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Smilax Glabra Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Carnosine, Dextran, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Parfum
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
Alcohol 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.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 GlycolCaffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineDisodium 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 GlycerinMenthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.
Menthol is known for its cooling sensation; however, the cooling is actually from your skin being sensitized. Menthol can worsen rosacea. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Menthol also has antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about MentholWater. 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
