What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantMethylpropanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCarbon
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sea Silt Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 PCA
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Flower Oil
PerfumingBoswellia Serrata Resin Extract
SmoothingXylitylglucoside
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientAnhydroxylitol
HumectantDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantGlucose
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hexylene Glycol, Carbon, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Sea Silt Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Polyglyceryl-3 PCA, Citrus Aurantium Flower Oil, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Xylitylglucoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Anhydroxylitol, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Xylitol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Glucose, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
PerfumingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentOriganum Vulgare Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
MaskingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Arginine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Limonene, Linalool
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 GlycolDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateDisodium 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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidHydroxyacetophenone 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 HydroxyacetophenoneHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePolyglyceryl-10 Myristate is a nonionic emulsifier and skin conditioner made from Polyglycerin-10 and Myristic Acid.
As a skin conditioning agent, this ingredient leaves skin feeling soft without a greasy finish. As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions.
You'll likely see this ingredient in "clean" formulations because it's considered a natural alternative to PEGs.
Patch testing at concentration 0.1-1% showed no reactions and this ingredient is considered to be well-tolerated across skin types.
Due to its myristic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 MyristateWater. 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