What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Malt Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract
Skin ProtectingGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDextrin
AbsorbentAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Hydrolyzed Malt Extract, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Viola Tricolor Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dextrin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Pentylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Decyl Glucoside, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Collagen Water
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
C12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Kernel Extract
Fructan
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hippophae Rhamnoides Water
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
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 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
