What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientAlbizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen
Cleansing
Sodium Phytate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Darutoside
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sargassum Pacificum Thallus Extract
EmollientGardenia Taitensis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, C13-15 Alkane, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Sorbitan Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isohexadecane, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Synthetic Beeswax, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caffeine, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Phytate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Isostearate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Darutoside, Tocopherol, Sargassum Pacificum Thallus Extract, Gardenia Taitensis Flower Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Rosa Rugosa Flower Water
Masking
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Rosa Rugosa Flower Water, Glycereth-26, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Arginine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Butylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Polysorbate 20, Glucose, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
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
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 GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPolysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
