What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract
AstringentWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyglycerin-3
HumectantArginine
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentBambusa Vulgaris Water
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantAnastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglycerin-3, Arginine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Squalane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Phytosphingosine, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Centella Asiatica Extract
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSqualane
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPantolactone
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientGlucose
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBixa Orellana Seed Oil
EmollientAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningNonapeptide-1
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Ceramide NP, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, C14-22 Alcohols, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Water, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tromethamine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Pantolactone, Glycine Soja Oil, Glucose, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Bixa Orellana Seed Oil, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-9, Nonapeptide-1, Ethylhexylglycerin
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerButylene 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 GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredientās final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itās technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term āoil-freeā isnāt regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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