What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingVinyldimethicone
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlycereth-26
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Parfum
MaskingCoptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTricholoma Matsutake Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Cicer Seed Extract
Skin ProtectingRhododendron Chrysanthum Leaf Extract
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingGlucose
HumectantGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRumex Crispus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, C14-22 Alcohols, Vinyldimethicone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Glycereth-26, Panthenol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Parfum, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Hydrolyzed Cicer Seed Extract, Rhododendron Chrysanthum Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Glucose, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Rumex Crispus Root Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Ascorbic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientLinalool
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGlucose
HumectantHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), C14-22 Alcohols, Carbomer, Tromethamine, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Linalool, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Glucose, Hexyl Cinnamal, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
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.Ā
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 preservativesĀ
We don't have a description for C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside yet.
This ingredient is a blend of long-chain fatty alcohols (myristyl, cetyl, stearyl, arachidyl, and behenyl). It is an emulsion stabilizer with emollient properties.
Don't let the word "alcohol" scare you: fatty alcohols are nothing like the drying solvents. This ingredient actually helps soften and smooth the skin.
By the way, the FDA allows products to be labeled "alcohol-free" even when they contain fatty alcohols like this one.
In a formula, it prevents the water and oil phases from separating over time while also contributing to a pleasant, non-greasy slip.
Interestingly, this ingredient can organize into the structures that mimic the skin's own lipid architecture to help support barrier function and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
The CIR Expert Panel has thoroughly assess the individual fatty alcohols that make up this blend and found no significant toxicity or dermal irritation.
Fungal acne: Research has shown the Malassezia can grow in the presence of fatty alcohols with the chain length between C12-24, making this ingredient not fungal acne safe.
Learn more about C14-22 AlcoholsCarbomer 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 CarbomerDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose 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 GlucoseParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Ā
Itās 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 PropanediolTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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