What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Nonanoate
EmollientTranexamic Acid
AstringentNiacinamide
SmoothingPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGlyceryl Polyacrylate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingOzokerite
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPolysilicone-11
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
AntioxidantGlabridin
BleachingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Fullerenes
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Nonanoate, Tranexamic Acid, Niacinamide, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Squalane, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Chloride, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Ozokerite, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysilicone-11, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Glabridin, Carnosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Fullerenes, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantErythritol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantTetraselmis Suecica Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingOctyldodecanol
EmollientDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Hydrolyzed Algae Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingBioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingDiisostearyl Malate
EmollientEpigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
AntioxidantEthoxydiglycol
HumectantLecithin
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sucrose Stearate
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningHexyldecanol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingWater, PEG-8, Erythritol, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ceramide NP, Xanthan Gum, Bisabolol, Tetraselmis Suecica Extract, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Ns, Lactic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ceramide As, Ceramide EOP, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Arginine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Octyldodecanol, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Hydrolyzed Algae Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Bioflavonoids, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Sucrose Stearate, Phytosphingosine, Hexyldecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
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
Butylene 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
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