What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
SmoothingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePoloxamer 407
EmulsifyingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantParfum
MaskingCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitrulline
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPvp
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveGlycerin
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantDendrobium Nobile Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientSophora Flavescens Root Extract
AntioxidantLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentEchinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Butylene Glycol, Pvp, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Silica, Glycerin, Trehalose, Dendrobium Nobile Stem Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPvp is a water-soluble synthetic polymer and common hairstyling ingredient. It is a film-forming ingredient and used to "hold" specific shapes of hair.
In cosmetics, PVP helps products like sunscreens and color cosmetics last longer and wear more evenly.
It is less effective in high-humidity. It tends to draw moisture, but this moisture dismantles the structure and "hold".
PVP is generally well tolerated on skin and toxicity studies are negative for dermal irritation.
Learn more about PvpWater. 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