What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyvinyl Alcohol
Glycerin
Humectant
Agave Americana Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Pancratium Maritimum Extract
BleachingCollagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingWater, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Glucose, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Collagen Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
Abrasive
Honey
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantOryza Sativa Hull Powder
Abrasive
Isononyl Isononanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran
Abrasive
Oryza Sativa Lees Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Honey Extract
Humectant
Bentonite
Absorbent
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cellulose
Absorbent
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate-13
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSodium Phytate
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Water, Kaolin, Honey, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa Hull Powder, Isononyl Isononanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa Bran, Oryza Sativa Lees Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Honey Extract, Bentonite, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Cellulose, Zea Mays Starch, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylate-13, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sodium Phytate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Menthyl Lactate
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.
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
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser.
On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
