What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Maltobionic Acid
Buffering
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientArginine
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ammonium Hydroxide
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Juice
AstringentRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Methyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingEthylene Brassylate
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Surfactant
Steareth-20
CleansingCeteth-20
CleansingTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycolic Acid, Maltobionic Acid, Gluconolactone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Arginine, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Ammonium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Juice, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Ethylene Brassylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Lecithin, PEG-75 Stearate, Steareth-20, Ceteth-20, Triethyl Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Bisulfite, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Caramel, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Salvia Haenkei Extract
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSqualane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Arginine
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Isononyl Isononanoate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, C14-22 Alcohols, Xylitylglucoside, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Salvia Haenkei Extract, Disodium EDTA, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Arginine, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineDisodium 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 EDTAIsononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoatePhenoxyethanol 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 Water
