What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
EmollientBoron Nitride
AbsorbentMadecassoside
AntioxidantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
EmollientGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantSodium Phytate
Ceramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingSea Water
HumectantPropanediol
SolventTocopherol
AntioxidantEmiliania Huxleyi Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Boron Nitride, Madecassoside, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Phytate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sea Water, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Emiliania Huxleyi Extract
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventBetaine
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantArtemisia Vulgaris Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Propanediol, Betaine, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Madecassoside, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Asiaticoside, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
Reviews
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
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract is a botanical extract pulled from the leaves of aloe vera and one of the most studied plant ingredients in cosmetics.
The inner leaf gel it comes from is mostly water (~99-99.5%) and the remaining fraction is made up of pretty good stuff: polysaccharides, vitamins, phenolics, and enzymes.
Its headline job is hydration.
The star polysaccharide in aloe, acemannan, is a humectant that retains moisture and helps reduce trans-epidermal water loss.
Aloe also has real soothing credentials; it contains anti-inflammatory compounds like bradykinase and C-glucosyl chromone that help calm irritation and redness.
On the repair side, lab work shows that acemannan wakes up your skin's repair cells (fibroblasts), prompting them to multiply and speed up healing.
There's some human data for cosmetic benefit too: a cream containing 10% Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract improved skin hydration and elasticity in a real-use study.
Safety-wise, this ingredient is well-regarded with just one rare downside; there have been some case reports of acute eczema, contact urticaria, and dermatitis in people who applied aloe-derived ingredients topically. Those with a known aloe or Liliaceae sensitivity should patch test.
Typical use levels range widely, from under 1% up to 90%+ depending on the format and the effect you are after.
Learn more about Aloe Barbadensis Leaf ExtractArtemisia Vulgaris Extract is more commonly known as the common mugwort. It has strong antioxidant properties and helps soothe irritation.
Antioxidants protect skin from damage and the signs of aging.
This plant contains the compounds saponins, glycosides, flavanoids, protein, triterpenoids.
The common wugwort has been used in traditional Indian, Chinese, and European medicines to treat gastrointestinal diseases.
Learn more about Artemisia Vulgaris ExtractEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinMadecassoside is one of four active compounds found in Centella asiatica and is one of the main reasons Centella is so effective at calming irritated skin and supporting the moisture barrier.
There's a solid body of peer-reviewed research backing Madecassoside for several skin benefits. Studies have found:
Madecassoside pairs well with other hydrating or antioxidant ingredients like Ascorbic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid.
Learn more about MadecassosidePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPentylene 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 GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s 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 PropanediolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
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