What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientMethylpropanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMyristic Acid
CleansingLauric Acid
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Methylpropanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Stearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Palmitic Acid, Sorbitan Stearate, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Oleic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMusa Sapientum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientLauryl Alcohol
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialHoney Extract
HumectantGlucose
HumectantMilk Protein Extract
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Arachidyl Glucoside, Musa Sapientum Fruit Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Myristyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Honey Extract, Glucose, Milk Protein Extract, Propolis Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, CI 19140, CI 15985, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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