What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantPEG-150
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantPhenylethyl Resorcinol
AntioxidantNiacinamide
SmoothingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningFructose
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingMaltose
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrehalose
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantSclareolide
MaskingDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlucose
HumectantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantSilica
AbrasiveWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-150, Pentylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Niacinamide, Carbomer, Arginine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Allantoin, Fructose, Disodium EDTA, Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide, Citric Acid, Maltose, Sodium Chloride, Trehalose, Propylene Glycol, Sclareolide, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Glucose, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantMaris Aqua
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
Emollient4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
MaskingUbiquinone
AntioxidantPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
AntioxidantEctoin
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantLactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDimethiconol
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentGlucose
HumectantWater, Methylpropanediol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Centella Asiatica Extract, Propylene Glycol, Maris Aqua, Ceramide NP, Panthenol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Ubiquinone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Ectoin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dimethiconol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Glucose
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
Glucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePentylene 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 GlycolPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene 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