What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Betula Alba Juice
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Lauryl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Centella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Betula Alba Juice, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Lauryl Esters, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTheobroma Cacao Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Water, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Madecassoside, Beta-Glucan, Carbomer, Arginine, Xanthan Gum
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinMadecassoside 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 MadecassosidePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter comes from the Theobroma cacoa, or Cacao tree. Cacao trees are native to tropical landscapes.
Like other plant butters, Cacao seed butter is an emollient. Emollients help soothe and soften your skin. By creating a barrier to trap moisture in, emollients help keep your skin hydrated.
Cacao seed butter contains antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules by stabilizing them. Unstable free-radicals may cause damage to your skin cells. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter can be bad for acne prone skin.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao Seed ButterWater. 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
