What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingMethyl Glucose Dioleate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Arginine
Masking
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPolyquaternium-39
Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingMyristyl Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Sorbitol, Triethylhexanoin, Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Squalane, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Saccharomyces Ferment, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Arginine, Oryza Sativa Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Gluconolactone, Zea Mays Starch, Lauryl Glucoside, Calcium Gluconate, Tocopherol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Polyquaternium-39, Polyglyceryl-6 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Myristyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-51, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
C9-12 Alkane
SolventPolyglyceryl-3 Oleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, C9-12 Alkane, Polyglyceryl-3 Oleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexyldecanol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Beta-Glucan, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Copper Gluconate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 LecithinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
