What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPoncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantMyrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingFicus Carica Fruit Extract
HumectantOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin ProtectingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Carbomer, Arginine, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Rosea Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantGlycolic Acid
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningBetaine Salicylate
AntimicrobialPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantFructose
HumectantCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Methylpropanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glycolic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Caprylyl Glycol, Allantoin, Betaine Salicylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Fructose, Cyanocobalamin, Pentylene Glycol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
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 GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum 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 “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” 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 ParfumPentylene 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 GlycolPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser.
On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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