What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingBetaine
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientHydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Phosphate
BufferingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPinus Pinaster Bark Extract
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Oleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Dna, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phosphate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside, Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingSodium Lactate
BufferingInulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantAnemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingWater, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Tromethamine, Sodium Lactate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Polysorbate 20, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Panthenol, Madecassoside, Centella Asiatica Extract
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
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene 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 GlycolCentella Asiatica Extract (Centella) is derived from an herb native to Southeast Asia. It is famous for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties.
Centella is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, such as Madecassic Acid and Asiaticoside.
Studies show the compounds in centella help with:
The combination of all these properties makes centella effective at soothing, hydrating, and protecting the skin.
Other great components of centella include Vitamin A, vitamin C, several B vitamins, and Asiatic Acid.
Fun fact: Centella has been used as a medicine and in food for many centuries. As a medicine, it is used to treat burns, scratches, and wounds.
Learn more about Centella Asiatica ExtractDisodium 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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidHydrolyzed sponge comes from marine or freshwater sponges. This is the main ingredient for "spicules".
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. They help push active ingredients into the skin to enhance the penetration and efficacy of these ingredients.
Madecassoside is one of four active compounds found in Centella asiatica and is one of the main reasons Centella is so effective at calming irritated skin and supporting the moisture barrier.
There's a solid body of peer-reviewed research backing Madecassoside for several skin benefits. Studies have found:
Madecassoside pairs well with other hydrating or antioxidant ingredients like Ascorbic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid.
Learn more about MadecassosideTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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