What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Spirulina Platensis Extract
Skin ProtectingGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Trehalose
Humectant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone
Emulsion Stabilising
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCarrageenan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyglutamic Acid, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Sodium PCA, Ectoin, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Copper Gluconate, Xylitol, Glucose, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lecithin, Sodium Phytate, Trehalose, Maltodextrin, Cetyl Diglyceryl Tris(Trimethylsiloxy)Silylethyl Dimethicone, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sclerotium Gum, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Silica, Carbomer, Tocopherol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Princeps Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexyl Isononanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Water, Artemisia Princeps Extract, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Cetearyl Olivate, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Tromethamine, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Caprylyl Methicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glucose, Beta-Glucan
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
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
