What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingParfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Swiftlet Nest Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trehalose, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Swiftlet Nest Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Dimethicone
Emollient
Methylheptyl Isostearate
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diglycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Isohexadecane
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentOleth-20
CleansingBromelain
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Papain
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycolic Acid, Dimethicone, Methylheptyl Isostearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Diglycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Isohexadecane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Dimethiconol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Maltodextrin, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Oleth-20, Bromelain, Algin, Tocopherol, Papain, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinCyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Disodium 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 EDTAGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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
