What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
AntimicrobialBetaine
HumectantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTromethamine
BufferingOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Papain
Skin ConditioningPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingJuniperus Virginiana Oil
MaskingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingArtemisia Vulgaris Oil
PerfumingBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningMentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
MaskingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine Salicylate, Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, Octyldodeceth-16, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Papain, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Beta-Glucan, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantBetaine
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDiphenyl Dimethicone
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTriethylhexanoin
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
MaskingRetinol
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, Triethylhexanoin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Allantoin, Octyldodeceth-16, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Phytosterols, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Retinol, Beta-Glucan, Ceramide NP
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Beta-Glucan is a polysaccharide. It can be derived from the cell walls of seaweed, oats, yeast, and fungi. It hydrates the skin and helps boost your skin's natural barrier.
As an antioxidant, beta-glucan helps fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells, such as pollution.
Studies show this ingredient may be an effective wrinkle reducer as it can deeply penetrate into skin. It has also been show to help with wound healing.
Learn more about Beta-GlucanBetaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneOctyldodeceth-16 comes from the fatty-alcohol Octyldodecanol.
Emulsifers keep oils and water ingredients together to create a more even consistency.
Water. 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