What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant3-Glyceryl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDiphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingTromethamine
BufferingMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningJuniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingHedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract
AntimicrobialSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingMadecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Panthenol, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Tromethamine, Madecassoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Asiaticoside, Pyrus Communis Fruit Extract, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Beta-Glucan, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Hedera Helix Leaf/Stem Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Ceramide NP
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
Butylene 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 GlycolDipropylene 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 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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
