What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Quaternium-60
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Octanediol
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Benzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningTriticum Aestivum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingLipase
Skin ConditioningProtease
Exfoliating
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Quaternium-60, Carbomer, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Octanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Maltodextrin, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Aspergillus Ferment, Triticum Aestivum Seed Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Lipase, Protease, Potassium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventAlcohol
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Malic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Glycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Cysteine
Antioxidant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Citrate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, PCA, Salicylic Acid, Malic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Tartaric Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine
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 GlycerinWater. 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
