What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Water
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
4-Terpineol
Masking
Menthol
Masking
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAmber Powder
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Alcohol Denat., Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, 4-Terpineol, Menthol, Piroctone Olamine, Citric Acid, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningSteartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningVinegar
Houttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Branch/Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Artemisia Annua Extract
MaskingAzadirachta Indica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAnthemis Nobilis Flower Water
Masking
Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
Skin ConditioningAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract
AstringentArginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Isoleucine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicRosmarinus Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-Crosspolymer
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polylysine
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentButylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Myristyl Alcohol, Water, Steartrimonium Chloride, Alcohol, Parfum, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Yeast Extract, Beta-Glucan, Inulin, Maltodextrin, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Vinegar, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Branch/Flower/Leaf Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract, Azadirachta Indica Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Proline, Threonine, Isoleucine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Caffeine, Biotin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract, PEG-Crosspolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, Polylysine, Panthenol, Salicylic Acid, Niacinamide, Cetrimonium Chloride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Methylpropanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin
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
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidWater. 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
