What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Isododecane
EmollientPEG-10 Isostearate
Emulsifying
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coconut Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Cholesterol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-800
HumectantAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-22
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-45
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-8
Humectant
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Synthetic Wax, Isododecane, PEG-10 Isostearate, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Water, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Cholesterol, Glycerin, PEG-800, Acer Saccharum Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Polypeptide-45, Sh-Polypeptide-8, Sh-Polypeptide-9
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Avocado Protein
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningActinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract
EmollientFragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentPrunus Persica Extract
CleansingVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyquaternium-7
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Saccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
PEG-800
HumectantPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-22
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-45
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-8
Humectant
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Hydrolyzed Avocado Protein, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Actinidia Chinensis Fruit Extract, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyquaternium-7, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Butylene Glycol, Cholesterol, PEG-800, Polysorbate 20, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Polypeptide-45, Sh-Polypeptide-8, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycolCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinWe don't have a description for PEG-800 yet.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20sh-Oligopeptide-1 is a peptide found naturally in our bodies. Peptides are the building blocks for collagen and elastin in our skin.
In cosmetics, this ingredient is bioengineered to be identical to a human gene that codes for epidermal growth factor (EGF). EGF are signal molecules that simulate cell growth and healing.
Studies find EGF help with:
In South Korea and China, EGF is considered a controversial ingredient. The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has cracked down on companies with products including EGF due to false advertisement claims.
According to Dr. Zoe Draelos, growth factors have some drawbacks:
There is also controversy surrounding growth factors. The controversy is due to their mitogenic activity, or their ability to increase the number of cells. It is best to avoid using growth factors if you have psoriasis or are at risk of skin cancer. However, it should be noted EGF are not mutagenic - meaning they will not cause cancer.
Learn more about Sh-Oligopeptide-1This peptide has similar properties to Sh-Oligopeptide-1.
In cosmetics, this ingredient is bioengineered to be identical to a human gene that codes for epidermal growth factor (EGF). EGF are signal molecules that simulate cell growth and healing.
There is also controversy surrounding EGF. The controversy is due to their mitogenic activity, or their ability to increase the number of cells. It is best to avoid using growth factors if you have psoriasis or are at risk of skin cancer. However, it should be noted EGF are not mutagenic - meaning they will not cause cancer.
Learn more about Sh-Oligopeptide-2Sh-Polypeptide-1 is a signal peptide that tells our cells to create more fibroblast cells. Fibroblasts maintain skin structure and plays a role in wound healing.
It is important to note this ingredient is mitogenic and not mutagenic. Meaning it will stimulate cell multiplication, and will not cause cancer.
Peptides are amino acids naturally found in your skin. These amino acids make up many proteins your skin uses. Collagen is made up of peptides. Collagen is responsible for keeping your skin plump and youthful.
As you age, your body naturally produces less collagen. Since peptides are the building blocks of collagen, it may have anti-aging effects.
Peptides are amino acids naturally found in your skin. These amino acids make up many proteins your skin uses. Collagen is made up of peptides. Collagen is responsible for keeping your skin plump and youthful.
Sh-Polypeptide-8 is a peptide.
Sh-Polypeptide-9 is a signal peptide that tells our body to create more blood vessels.
It is important to note, this ingredient is mitogenic and not mutagenic. Meaning it will stimulate cell multiplication, and will not cause cancer.
Water. 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
