What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Glucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Citrate, Ceramide NP, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Arginine, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Butylene Glycol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
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
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 GlycolThis ingredient comes from the peel of the satsuma mandarin fruit native to Japan.
Unlike other citrus ingredients, this one is not known to cause photosensitivity. This is because the citrus ingredients that cause sensitivity are high in furanocoumarins. When exposed to UV, furocoumarins bind to and destabilize your DNA, speeding up the rate of sunburn.
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract is unique in that the peel contains very low levels of furanocoumarins and tested products with this ingredient confirmed no detectable furanocoumarins.
The peel is rich in antioxidants and lab studies show it can help brighten skin by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for melanin production.
One study on the fermented version of this ingredient found it could help reduce UVA-induced collagen breakdown. Though it is worth noting that while results are promising, robust human clinical trials are still needed.
This ingredient naturally contains limonene and other aromatic compounds that make it a perfuming ingredient.
The official COSING database only lists this ingredient as having "Perfuming" properties at this time. The brightening, antioxidant, and skin conditioning benefits that brands market come from the research literature and from how formulators choose to use the ingredient.
Learn more about Citrus Unshiu Peel ExtractDisodium 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 EDTAWe don't have a description for Glucosyl Hesperidin yet.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone 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 HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
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 PropanediolWater. 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
