What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Trehalose
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Rice Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingSoluble Collagen
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Mannose
HumectantGlutathione
Oligopeptide-29
Antioxidant
Oligopeptide-32
Antiseborrhoeic
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dipropylene Glycol, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Trehalose, Glyceryl Stearate, Carbomer, Arginine, Sorbitan Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Disodium EDTA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Extract Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate, Sucrose Cocoate, Ceramide NP, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Phytosterols, Mentha Suaveolens Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Soluble Collagen, Glucose, Mannose, Glutathione, Oligopeptide-29, Oligopeptide-32, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingIsoceteth-20
EmulsifyingHydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Acetyl Glucosamine, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Isoceteth-20, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Sodium Lactate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipropylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinYou might know this ingredient as Matrixyl. It is a synthetic peptide made up of five amino acids attached to a palmitic acid, a fatty acid that helps it absorb into skin more easily.
As a signal peptide, Matrixyl acts like a little messenger. Once it reaches your skin cells, it tells them to ramp up production of collagen, elastin, and other proteins that keep skin looking firm and smooth.
A 12 week clinical study found that a moisturizer containing just 3 ppm of Matrixyl led to a significant improvement in fine-lines and wrinkles. Another study showed an 18% reduction in wrinkle depth, 37% reduction in wrinkle thickness, and a 21% improvement in skin firmness after just 28 days of twice-daily use.
The coolest part is that it works at incredibly low concentrations (like 0.0003%) and it plays well with other actives.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel found it to be non-sensitizing across multiple tests and human patch tests also showed no irritation or sensitization.
Fun fact: Matrixyl was originally developed by French company Sederma and Procter & Gamble.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4Water. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
