What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSalicylic Acid
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhytic Acid
Adenosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingDipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantWater, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Salicylic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Phytic Acid, Adenosine, Sodium Benzoate, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialHydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-11
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingOctyldodecanol
EmollientBis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
EmollientAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantDextrin
AbsorbentAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Propylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Octyldodecanol, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Oryza Sativa Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Adenosine, Pentylene Glycol, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Limonene, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineAlcohol 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.Glycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene 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