What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate
Emulsifying
Polyacrylic Acid
Emulsion StabilisingOctyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyester-5
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Malus Domestica Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Octyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Octanediol
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Polyester-5, Alcohol Denat., Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Pvp, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-2 Oleate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Octyldodeceth-16, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Octanediol, Methylpropanediol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Geraniol
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
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.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 GlycolOctyldodeceth-16 comes from the fatty-alcohol Octyldodecanol.
Emulsifers keep oils and water ingredients together to create a more even consistency.
Peg-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 OilPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPolyglyceryl-2 Oleate isn't fungal acne safe.
Pvp is a water-soluble synthetic polymer and common hairstyling ingredient. It is a film-forming ingredient and used to "hold" specific shapes of hair.
In cosmetics, PVP helps products like sunscreens and color cosmetics last longer and wear more evenly.
It is less effective in high-humidity. It tends to draw moisture, but this moisture dismantles the structure and "hold".
PVP is generally well tolerated on skin and toxicity studies are negative for dermal irritation.
Learn more about PvpWater. 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
