As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.

Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.

Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.

In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.

This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Learn more about Glycerin

Water

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Water. 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. Stay hydrated!

Learn more about Water

Butylene Glycol

Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

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 Glycol

Dipropylene Glycol

Masking, Solvent

Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created stabilizer and solvent. It is a part of the glycol class in the alcohol family.

Dipropylene Glycol helps dissolve and evenly distribute ingredients. It also helps decrease viscosity and thin out texture.

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 Glycol

Tremella Fuciformis Extract

Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Tremella Fuciformis Extract comes from the tremella fuciformis mushroom, also known as snow mushroom or white jelly mushroom.

The snow mushroom has moisturizing and antioxidant properties.

Snow mushroom is rich in polysaccharides, giving it moisturizing benefits. As a humectant, snow mushroom helps draw moisture from the air to the skin. Polysaccharides are able to mimic our skin's natural carbohydrates to help the skin retain water.

Snow mushroom has been shown to help with anti-aging due to its antioxidants. It increases the presence of superoxide dismutase in our brain and liver. Superoxide is a by-product of oxygen metabolism. It left unregulated, superoxide causes cell damage. Thus, superoxide dismutase acts as an antioxidant to protect our living cells.

Another study from 2016 showed snow mushroom extract blocks the skin from creating melanin when exposed to UVB. Thus, it may help protect against the signs of aging from sun exposure. However, more studies are needed to confirm this. Another study from 2021 found snow mushroom to protect against UVA damage as well.

This white mushroom is native to Asian countries such as China, Korea, Japan, and Thailand. It is a common ingredient in traditional Chinese cuisine and medicine.

Learn more about Tremella Fuciformis Extract

1,2-Hexanediol

Skin Conditioning, Solvent

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

Ethylhexylglycerin

Skin Conditioning

Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.

You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.

Ingredient Ratings

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.

Snail Wrinkle Care Sleeping Pack

Calendula Peptide Ageless Sleeping Mask

When to use

Mizon Snail Wrinkle Care Sleeping Pack 65 ingredients

Mary & May Calendula Peptide Ageless Sleeping Mask 54 ingredients

10 Routines

0% use in am

100% use in pm

80% use every day

60 Routines

8% use in am

93% use in pm

62% use every day

When to use See routines that use it ->

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Mizon Snail Wrinkle Care Sleeping Pack 65 ingredients

Snail Wrinkle Care Sleeping Pack hasn't been rated yet.

Rate it now

Mary & May Calendula Peptide Ageless Sleeping Mask 54 ingredients

4.7 /5

from 3 ratings

Absorbs Well (3) Works Well (3) Hydrating (2)

AnaG

1 year ago

Review

Updated review. I have been in every state of the scale of dislike-love with this product. At first I didn't like it because of the texture or maybe more the looks. It is not homogeneous so my mind imagined a texture that wasn't there. Cognitive dissonance. But as I kept using it I started to like the effects on my skin. It does have a gel texture that is cooling to the skin. It doesn't irritate Show more

#hydrating

#absorbs well

#works well

Mary & May

Calendula Peptide Ageless Sleeping Mask

ichigoluvah

5 months ago

Review

I actually really l like this overnight mask! I was worried about the alcohol and parfum, but neither are an issue.

The scent is very mild (I'm scent sensitive), and the alcohol dries the outer layer exposed to the air so you don't sleep in a gooey mess. My face felt very hydrated, not at all dry.

#absorbs well

#light scent

#works well

Mary & May

Calendula Peptide Ageless Sleeping Mask