What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Triacetin
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Diazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium PCA, Urea, Citric Acid, Trehalose, Polyquaternium-51, Triacetin, Propylene Glycol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
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 (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.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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
