What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSafflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Inulin, Panthenol, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Polyacrylate, Squalane, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethiconol Behenate
Skin ConditioningOrbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Caffeyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glucuronic Acid
Buffering
Magnesium Sulfate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Dimethiconol Behenate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Dimethicone, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Caffeyl Glucoside, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Glucose, Rhamnose, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Glucuronic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, P-Anisic 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.
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
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
