What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientBetaine
HumectantBakuchiol
AntimicrobialHydrangea Macrophylla Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialOriganum Vulgare Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Extract
PerfumingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Hydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Sorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArginine
MaskingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Betaine, Bakuchiol, Hydrangea Macrophylla Leaf Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Origanum Vulgare Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Allantoin, Adenosine, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Sorbitan Palmitate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Oleate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Arginine, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingUndecane
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Corymbosum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Tridecane
PerfumingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Undecane, Bakuchiol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Vaccinium Corymbosum Fruit Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Tridecane, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate
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
Bakuchiol is a plant-derived antioxidant from the seeds of the Psoralea corylifolia plant. It has antimicrobial, emollient, skin conditioning, and antioxidant properties.
You'll likely see it called a "retinol replacement" but the two are technically not related. This is because bakuchiol is able to flip many of the same switches in your skin cells to tell them to:
1) produce more collagen (type I, III, and IV)
2) activate the same genes retinoids do
Unlike retinoids, this ingredient will not increase photosensitivity and is safe to use during pregnancy (but please still check in with your doctor!).
The flagship clinical trial from Dhaliwal et al. 2019 found 0.5% bakuchiol (twice daily) and 0.5% retinol (once daily) reduced wrinkles and hyperpigmentation equally, but bakuchiol had significantly less irritation.
Systematic reviews also back this up:
Bakuchiol is comparable to retinol for photoaging but with better tolerability. It also has mild antibacterial properties against Cutibacterium acnes and antifungal activity in vitro against Candida and dermatophytes.
The reason bakuchiol works well is due to its structure; it is a meroterpene phenol, or a hybrid molecule. The phenol half acts as an antioxidant while the terpene half is fat-loving. This helps the molecule slip through the skin barrier.
This ingredient is usually used between 0.5-2%. Only one case of contact dermatitis has ever been reported for this ingredient.
Learn more about BakuchiolButylene 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 GlycolCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateGlycerin (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 HydroxyacetophenoneSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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