What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Cellulose
Absorbent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMadecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetate
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Phragmites Communis Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningErythritol
Humectant
Carrageenan
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Cellulose, Panthenol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Madecassic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Glycerin, Ahnfeltia Concinna Extract, Sodium Acetate, Sodium PCA, Phragmites Communis Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Erythritol, Carrageenan, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSalicylic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAnthocyanins
Cosmetic ColorantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Malic Acid
Buffering
Gluconic Acid
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningErythritol
Humectant
Carrageenan
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycolic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Anthocyanins, Phenethyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid, Propylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Pentylene Glycol, Lactic Acid, Malic Acid, Gluconic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit Extract, Erythritol, Carrageenan, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Tartaric Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin
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
Carrageenan comes from red seaweed or algae. It is made up of polysaccharides and a highly flexible compound. Red algae cell walls are rich in carrageenan.
In cosmetics, it helps to thicken the texture. Studies show carrageenan extracted from red algae possess antioxidant properties. Components found in carrageenan include: lipids, fatty acids, Vitamin E, proteins, and several amino acids.
Learn more about different types of algae.
Carrageenan is also commonly used in medicine and food. It is a vegan alternative to animal-based gelatin.
Learn more about CarrageenanYou might know this ingredient as a sugar substitute in foods. It is a sugar alcohol with humectant properties.
Humectants attract water to your skin (like glycerin or hyaluronic acid).
Fun fact: Erythritol can be naturally found in some fermented foods.
Learn more about ErythritolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenethyl Alcohol is a colorless and aromatic alohol. It is naturally occuring in essential oils.
The scent of this ingredient is floral and often compared to rose.
Like other alcohols, this ingredient helps prevent the growth of bacteria. However, its main purpose is to impact a fragrance.
Learn more about Phenethyl AlcoholPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
