What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Polyquaternium-10
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Vinegar Extract
EmollientCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Glutamine
Skin ConditioningLysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Leucine
Skin ConditioningMethionine
Skin ConditioningValine
MaskingSerine
Masking
Cysteine Hcl
Antioxidant
Citrulline
Skin ConditioningAspartic Acid
Masking
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningOrnithine
Skin ConditioningCarnitine
Cleansing
Tyrosine
MaskingThreonine
Tryptophan
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Menthol
Masking
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Milk
EmollientHydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Histidine Hcl
Skin ConditioningDiospyros Kaki Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract
MaskingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPyridoxine
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Riboflavin
Cosmetic ColorantBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningThiamine Hcl
MaskingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
CleansingParfum
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Trideceth-10
CleansingLactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Water, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Betaine, Arginine, Polyquaternium-10, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vinegar Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Lysine Hcl, Leucine, Methionine, Valine, Serine, Cysteine Hcl, Citrulline, Aspartic Acid, Isoleucine, Alanine, Arginine Hcl, Ornithine, Carnitine, Tyrosine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Panthenol, Phenylalanine, Proline, Menthol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrolyzed Milk, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Histidine Hcl, Diospyros Kaki Fruit Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Ceratonia Siliqua Fruit Extract, Niacinamide, Biotin, Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin, Tocopherol, Riboflavin, Beta-Carotene, Thiamine Hcl, Allantoin, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Cocodimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Parfum, Sodium PCA, Trideceth-10, Lactic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Salicylic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Menthol
Masking
Trideceth-10
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPrunus Mume Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Flower Extract
MoisturisingAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningViola Mandshurica Flower Extract
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningInula Britannica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLysimachia Foenum-Graecum Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Caffeine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, Carbomer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Menthol, Trideceth-10, Disodium EDTA, Betaine, Glycerin, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Vincetoxicum Atratum Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Prunus Mume Flower Extract, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Viola Mandshurica Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Flower Extract, Inula Britannica Flower Extract, Lysimachia Foenum-Graecum Extract
Alternatives
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
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s 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 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinMenthol is a compound found in mint plants, such as peppermint. In its pure form, it is a clear crystalline substance.
Menthol is known for its cooling sensation; however, the cooling is actually from your skin being sensitized. Menthol can worsen rosacea. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Menthol also has antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about MentholPeg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilWe don't have a description for Trideceth-10 yet.
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
