What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantMaltooligosyl Glucoside
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Coco-Glucoside
CleansingMethylparaben
PreservativeNiacinamide
SmoothingParfum
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Maltooligosyl Glucoside, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Coco-Glucoside, Methylparaben, Niacinamide, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Beta-Glucan, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPropylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Methylparaben
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlucose
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTaraxacum Mongolicum Extract
AntioxidantCnidium Monnieri Fruit Extract
HumectantPueraria Lobata Root Extract
HumectantAngelica Polymorpha Sinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Flavescens Root Extract
AntioxidantPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningDictamnus Dasycarpus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Bungeanum Pericarp Extract
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion StabilisingTremella Fuciformis Extract
HumectantSaccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sodium Methylparaben, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glucose, Allantoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract, Taraxacum Mongolicum Extract, Cnidium Monnieri Fruit Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Angelica Polymorpha Sinensis Root Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Dictamnus Dasycarpus Root Extract, Zanthoxylum Bungeanum Pericarp Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Parfum
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
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamideParfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTriethanolamine (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