What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Morus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Pearl Extract, Betaine, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. Itās known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPeg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Triethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
