What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLauryl Betaine
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Lauryl Betaine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Decylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Gluconolactone, Betaine Salicylate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Alaninate
Glycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCoco-Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPotassium Cocoate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDecylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Butylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantEDTA
Tocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Sodium Cocoyl Alaninate, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Coco-Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Lauryl Glucoside, Potassium Cocoate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Decylene Glycol, Sodium Phytate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, EDTA, Tocopherol
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
Butylene 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 GlycolWe don't have a description for Decylene Glycol yet.
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 antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneTocopherol 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