What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Palmitic Acid
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Stearic Acid
CleansingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Octyldodecanol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Cetearyl Olivate, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propolis Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPaeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDipentaerythrityl Pentaisononanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Trehalose
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Leaf Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipentaerythrityl Pentaisononanoate, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-14 Pareth-12, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tromethamine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Trehalose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene 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 GlycolCamellia Japonica Flower Extract comes from the Japanese Camellia plant. This plant is native to East Asia and known as "Tsubaki" in Japanese.
Tsubaki flowers possess antioxidant and soothing properties. This flower has shown to be effective at fighting pollution damage by protecting your skin's fibroblasts. Your skin's fibroblasts help create collagen and collagen is responsible for youthful, plump skin.
This flower also contains many antioxidant enzymes. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. They may originate from sunlight, air pollution, or cigarette smoke. These free-radical molecules are unstable and are often looking for missing electrons. This instability causes free-radicals to damage our cells. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals by donating extra electrons.
Thus, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract may help reduce the signs of aging.
Learn more about Camellia Japonica Flower ExtractCarbomer 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 CarbomerDisodium 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 GlycerinNelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract comes from the Lotus Flower. It is rich in antioxidants.
The antioxidant properties in lotus flower come from compounds such as flavonoids.
In traditional Asian medicine, Lotus flower seeds were used to help treat inflammation.
Learn more about Nelumbo Nucifera Flower ExtractTromethamine 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