What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantMenthol
MaskingTrideceth-10
CleansingBetaine
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Glycerin
HumectantMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingClimbazole
AntimicrobialPiroctone Olamine
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCyclodextrin
AbsorbentMaltose
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingGlucose
HumectantFoeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCoriandrum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningElettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract
PerfumingCrocus Sativus Flower Extract
MaskingHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingThymus Vulgaris Extract
PerfumingPlantago Asiatica Extract
Skin ConditioningOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningVincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningPinus Palustris Leaf Extract
TonicUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantHydrolyzed Dna
Skin ConditioningInula Britannica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLysimachia Foenum-Graecum Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caffeine, Sodium Polyacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Menthol, Trideceth-10, Betaine, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Climbazole, Piroctone Olamine, Panthenol, Dextrin, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Cyclodextrin, Maltose, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Glucose, Foeniculum Vulgare Seed Extract, Coriandrum Sativum Extract, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Extract, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Dna, Inula Britannica Flower Extract, Lysimachia Foenum-Graecum Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialSilica
AbrasiveCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingMenthol
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Limonene
PerfumingButylene Glycol
HumectantPiroctone Olamine
PreservativePropanediol
SolventPanax Ginseng Root Cell Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Seed Oil
HumectantGlycine Max Polypeptide
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPanax Ginseng Extract
AntioxidantRosa Damascena Flower Extract
MaskingCentella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycine Max Oil
EmollientGlycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCanola Oil
EmollientRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glycerin, Parfum, Menthol, Disodium EDTA, Limonene, Butylene Glycol, Piroctone Olamine, Propanediol, Panax Ginseng Root Cell Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Glycine Max Polypeptide, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Panax Ginseng Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycine Max Oil, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
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 GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerDisodium 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 MentholPiroctone Olamine is a synthetic antifungal and preservative ingredient.
Its main job is to keep the yeast, Malassezia, in check; this yeast is linked to dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, and fungal acne (a.k.a. Malassezia folliculitis).
The way it works is pretty neat:
It slips into the fungal cell and grabs onto iron ions that the yeast needs for its energy metabolism; this basically starves it out. But the full mechanism isn't 100% pinned down and some research also points it to interfering with ergosterol (a building block of the fungal cell membrane).
Besides antifungal action, it also has mild anti-inflammatory and soothing effects to help calm itchiness in the scalp.
Typical usage concentrations are low. The EU permits it to be a preservative up to 1% in rinse-off products and 0.5% in leave-on products.
Though it's generally well-tolerated, a small number of people may notice itching or irritation (as with any active).
Learn more about Piroctone OlamineTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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