What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSoluble Collagen
HumectantCollagen Amino Acids
MoisturisingHexapeptide-2
BleachingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantPotassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantC10-18 Triglycerides
EmollientHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
EmulsifyingHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientArachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningRetinal
Skin ConditioningHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin ConditioningCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmulsifyingButyloctyl Palmitate
EmollientVinyldimethicone
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Humectant2,3-Butanediol
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Propanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-4 Oleate
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Collagen Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Soluble Collagen, Collagen Amino Acids, Hexapeptide-2, Allantoin, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Heptyl Undecylenate, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Adenosine, Retinol, Retinyl Palmitate, Retinal, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Cetyl Palmitate, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Butyloctyl Palmitate, Vinyldimethicone, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, 2,3-Butanediol, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Pentylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Biotin, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolyacrylate-13
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientCollagen Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
MaskingPyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingRosa Damascena Flower Oil
MaskingBetaine
HumectantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
MaskingVetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Glycerin, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyacrylate-13, Cetyl Alcohol, Collagen Extract, Avena Sativa Peptide, Dipropylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Carbomer, Palmitic Acid, Tromethamine, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Betaine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
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
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Adenosine has many benefits when used. These benefits include hydrating the skin, smoothing skin, and reducing wrinkles. Once applied, adenosine increases collagen production. It also helps with improving firmness and tissue repair.
Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.
In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.
Learn more about AdenosineButylene 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 is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCollagen extract is derived from parts of animals. It has skin conditioning properties and is mostly comprised of glycine, proline, and hydroxypoline. These are amino acids.
While our skin does have collagen, this ingredient is not used by the skin for anti-aging. Applying collagen topically has not been linked to helping with collagen loss in skin. All the benefits of collagen are related to hydration.
This ingredient will not increase sun sensitivity, but you should always wear sunscreen during the day.
Learn more about Collagen ExtractDipropylene 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 GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer is made up of glycerin and polyacrylic acid. It helps hydrate your skin as a humectant.
This ingredient forms a hydrogel that delivers moisturizing, water-based ingredients to the skin. It is also used to thicken a product and to give it a smooth texture.
Acrylic acid itself is toxic, but the polymer form (this ingredient) is too large to penetrate skin, making it non-toxic.
Learn more about Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid CopolymerGlyceryl 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 StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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