What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHydroxystearic Acid
CleansingBetaine
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Phytate
Stearic Acid
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningSucrose Distearate
EmollientPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
CleansingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Arginine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxystearic Acid, Betaine, Panthenol, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Adenosine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sodium Polyacrylate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Phytate, Stearic Acid, Ceramide NP, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Lactobacillus Ferment, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Phytosphingosine, Asiatic Acid, Sucrose Distearate, Polyglutamic Acid, Lauric Acid, Phytosterols
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSea Water
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBetaine
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sea Water, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Panthenol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum
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
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that 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. Just 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.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPDipropylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 LecithinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum