What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Musa Sapientum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine
HumectantPrunus Domestica Fruit Extract
MoisturisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Phytate
Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment
AntimicrobialCynanchum Atratum Extract
Skin ConditioningMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Althaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Water, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Musa Sapientum Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Allantoin, Ectoin, Xanthan Gum, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Prunus Domestica Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Citric Acid, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Phytate, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Cynanchum Atratum Extract, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Maltodextrin, Sodium Cocoyl Apple Amino Acids, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Beta-Glucan, Hexylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Poloxamer 184
EmulsifyingAgave Tequilana Leaf Extract
AstringentCannabis Sativa Seed Extract
EmollientCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningPolylysine
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hexylene Glycol, Water, Glycerin, Poloxamer 184, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Cannabis Sativa Seed Extract, Caffeine, Niacinamide, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Citric Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycolipids, Polylysine, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
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.
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
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene 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
