What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 21
EmulsifyingMadecassoside
AntioxidantAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodecanol
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantArginine
MaskingSerine
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingGlutamic Acid
HumectantPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningWater, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Polysorbate 21, Madecassoside, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Octyldodecanol, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Serine, Citric Acid, Glutamic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Oleate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningEmpetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningApigenin
AntioxidantOleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningBiotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Potassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Juice, Empetrum Nigrum Fruit Juice, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Cellulose Gum, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Gluconate, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Apigenin, Oleanolic Acid, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Potassium Sorbate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
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 if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
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.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water