What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trideceth-10
CleansingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Niacinamide, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Xylitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Panthenol, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Allantoin, Trideceth-10, Anhydroxylitol, Glucose
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Glucose
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Stearic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Trehalose, Ceramide NP, Arachidic Acid, Glucose, Palmitic Acid, Oleic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Squalane, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
This 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 ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideDipropylene 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 GlycolGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePentylene 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
