What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Rayon
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolybutene
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate Copolymer, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Synthetic Beeswax, Vp/Hexadecene Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Palmitic Acid, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Rayon, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Potassium Hydroxide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polybutene, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Biotin, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Behenyl Behenate
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Polyisobutene
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acacia Senegal Gum
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Dextran
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Behenyl Behenate, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Polyisobutene, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Panthenol, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acacia Senegal Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Dextran, Potassium Hydroxide, CI 77499
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
Ci 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideSodium 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 HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWe don't have a description for Vp/Eicosene Copolymer yet.
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 WaterEuphorbia Cerifera wax comes from a shrub in Northern Mexico. It is used to stabilize formulations and has emollient properties.
Emollients form a thin layer on top of skin to prevent water from evaporating, keeping skin and lips hydrated.
According to a manufacturer, this wax can range from a yellow/brown color to translucent.
Learn more about Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
