What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Xylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
HumectantTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlucose
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Water, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Glutathione, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Carbomer, Xylitol, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glucose, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventChondrus Crispus
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantGlycoproteins
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Caprylate
EmulsifyingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Propanediol, Chondrus Crispus, Ethylhexylglycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Glycoproteins, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tromethamine, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Polyglyceryl-6 Caprylate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
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 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 CarbomerDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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