What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingC13-16 Isoparaffin
SolventHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningVinyldimethicone
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
C12-14 Isoparaffin
SolventGossypium Herbaceum Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
AntioxidantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caffeine, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Vinyldimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C12-14 Isoparaffin, Gossypium Herbaceum Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Citric Acid, Adenosine, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningGalactomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-9
Skin ConditioningHexapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingSoluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Hexapeptide-11, Copper Tripeptide-1, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Panthenol, Arginine, Sorbitan Olivate, Sorbitan Stearate, Adenosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Soluble Proteoglycan, Betaine, Allantoin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineBetaine 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 GlycolThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. 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. Be sure to 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 ingredientās final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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