What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-75
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Glycereth-26, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-75, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Ceramide NP, Dimethicone, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Lecithin, Glycosphingolipids, Potassium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Hydroxycitronellal, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Stellaria Media Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Nepeta Cataria Extract
TonicRubus Idaeus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBaptisia Tinctoria Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAlchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract
AstringentUrtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Vitis Vinifera Vine Sap
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientTrisodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingPEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventMalachite Extract
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Stellaria Media Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Nepeta Cataria Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Baptisia Tinctoria Root Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Vitis Vinifera Vine Sap, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Trisodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Glycereth-26, Phenyl Trimethicone, Tromethamine, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Polyglutamic Acid, Methylpropanediol, Malachite Extract, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerAlcohol 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.Dipropylene 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 GlycolGlycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.
It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.
As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.
Learn more about Glycereth-26Glycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPeg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilSodium 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 HyaluronateTrisodium EDTA is one of those quietly essential helper ingredients that most people have never heard of. You'll most likely spot it near the end of ingredient lists in almost every category of skincare.
So what does it actually do?
Its main job is chelation; this is a fancy word to say it grabs onto metal ions and neutralizes them. This is because even purified water in cosmetics contains trace amounts of metals that can cause big problems in a formula.
These trace metals can break down actives faster, cause discoloration, promote rancidity in oils, and make preservatives less effective. Trisodium EDTA binds to these metals and takes them out of the equation so your products can stay stable and effective for longer.
There's also an added bonus: by neutralizing the metals ions that bacteria need to thrive, this ingredient also acts as a preservative booster.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetic formulations. It is not considered an irritant, sensitizer, and is barely absorbed through the skin.
Learn more about Trisodium EDTAWater. 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
