What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventBetaine
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingSea Silt Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Carnosine
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSea Salt
AbrasiveDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
AntioxidantCopper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHimanthalia Elongata Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Betaine, Niacinamide, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Sea Silt Extract, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Carnosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Ceramide NP, Sea Salt, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Copper Gluconate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Himanthalia Elongata Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCaprae Lac
Skin ConditioningColostrum
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactose
HumectantMilk Protein
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Capillaris Extract
Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSqualane
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingEryngium Alpinum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingHoney Extract
HumectantHippophae Rhamnoides Oil
EmollientSymphytum Officinale Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantHydrocinnamyl Cinnamate
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventTocopherol
AntioxidantWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientLecithin
EmollientWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Caprae Lac, Colostrum, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactose, Milk Protein, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Eryngium Alpinum Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Honey Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hydrocinnamyl Cinnamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Whey Protein, C10-18 Triglycerides, Lecithin
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.
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 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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