What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantC13-15 Alkane
SolventPropanediol
SolventSqualane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Jojoba Esters
EmollientHydrogenated Olive Oil
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingColloidal Oatmeal
AbsorbentHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientAgastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLactic Acid
BufferingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Propanediol, Squalane, Cetearyl Olivate, Jojoba Esters, Hydrogenated Olive Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Sclerotium Gum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Fruit Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Colloidal Oatmeal, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrin, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientLepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBisabolol
AntioxidantPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningHansenula/Kloeckera/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Pediococcus/Saccharomyces/Fig/Lemon Ferment
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Sterols
EmollientLinoleic Acid
CleansingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
EmollientSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingIsoeicosane
EmollientChitosan
Sodium Phytate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Squalane, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bisabolol, Phospholipids, Hansenula/Kloeckera/Lactobacillus/Lactococcus/Leuconostoc/Pediococcus/Saccharomyces/Fig/Lemon Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Allantoin, Glycine Soja Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Cellulose Gum, Lecithin, Sorbitan Oleate, Isoeicosane, Chitosan, Sodium Phytate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citric Acid
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
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itâs technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term âoil-freeâ isnât regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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