What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEriophorum Spissum Flower/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPearl Extract
AntioxidantOpuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningPropolis Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney
HumectantBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentRosa Damascena Flower Water
MaskingSasa Kurilensis Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialFragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
PerfumingHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantHydroxydecyl Ubiquinone
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTranexamic Acid
AstringentBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Glycol
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Methicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Niacinamide, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Eriophorum Spissum Flower/Stem Extract, Pearl Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Propolis Extract, Honey, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Sasa Kurilensis Leaf/Stem Extract, Fragaria Chiloensis Fruit Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Arginine, Adenosine, Madecassoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Ceramide NP, Tranexamic Acid, Beeswax, Citric Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Carbomer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Benzyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDisodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingSodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCoco-Glucoside
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingTromethamine
BufferingPotassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Parfum
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Chloride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Water, Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Coco-Glucoside, Lauryl Betaine, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Arginine, Tromethamine, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Parfum, Carbomer, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA
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
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. This just means our bodies can product a bit on its own, but sometimes needs a little boost from food sources.
It is a part of your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Here's an interesting thing about Arginine: your skin converts it into urea through the Krebs-Henseleit urea cycle. Urea is one of the most effective humectants your skin naturally produces.
A clinical study showed applying 2.5% arginine hydrochloride to atopic dermatitis skin showed significant urea levels in the stratum corneum and improved moisture in just four weeks.
Arginine is also a precursor to nitric oxide; nitric oxide improves microcirculation and supports wound healing and collagen synthesis.
One study found that an amino acid complex containing Arginine reduced skin irritation, improved hydration, and accelerated skin repair in clinical / in-vivo studies.
Arginine itself is an amino acid and not a fatty acid, oil, or ester. On its own, it's not a direct food source for Malassezia, or the yeast that causes fungal acne.
Learn more about ArginineButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerDisodium 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 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 GlycerinSnail Secretion Filtrate is the excretion from snails. It is an effective moisturizer and promotes collagen production.
A popular nickname for this ingredient is 'Snail Mucin'.
Snail mucin has numerous skin benefits:
On top of this, Snail Secretion Filtrate contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. These include copper peptides, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. Vitamins A and E are antioxidants. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals that damage skin cells.
Being cruelty-free means a brand does not experiment on animals.
If you're worried about the well-being of the snails, we recommend looking more into the company of the product. Many brands have developed humane methods to collect snail mucin.
There is much debate on this subject. On one hand, this ingredient comes from an animal. On the other hand, many will argue the ingredient is naturally secreted (like a natural by-product) and therefore vegan. If you have reservations, you can look into Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate or Centella Asiatica Extract as alternatives.
Learn more about Snail Secretion FiltrateSodium Polyacrylate is the sodium salt of polyacrylic acid. It is used as an absorber, emollient, and stabilizer.
This ingredient is a super-absorbent polymer - meaning it can absorb 100 to 1000 times its mass in water. As an emollient, Sodium Polyacrylate helps soften and soothe skin. Emollients work by creating a barrier to trap moisture in. This helps keep your skin hydrated.
Water. 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