What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientSoluble Collagen
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantBetaine
HumectantPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAlkanna Tinctoria Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSqualene
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Collagen Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Soluble Collagen, Dipropylene Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Betaine, Persea Gratissima Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Alkanna Tinctoria Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalene, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosterols, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantOlus Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHexyldecanol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantEctoin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCocoglycerides
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Algin
Phytic Acid
Bisabolol
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantZymomonas Ferment Extract
HumectantCetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientMel Extract
MoisturisingWater, Glycerin, Olus Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Maltodextrin, Pentylene Glycol, Hexyldecanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Saccharide Isomerate, Ectoin, Parfum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Cocoglycerides, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Hydrolyzed Algin, Phytic Acid, Bisabolol, Tocopherol, Zymomonas Ferment Extract, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Stearic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Mel 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.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
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilParfum 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 ParfumPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol 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