What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Rose Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Extract
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Rose Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Extract, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cyanocobalamin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil
Astringent
Disodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Citral, Limonene, Linalool
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
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
