What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Glucose
Humectant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Algin
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Pullulan
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Diglycerin, Propanediol, Xylitylglucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Anhydroxylitol, Polysorbate 60, Glycerin, Trehalose, Urea, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Xylitol, Chlorphenesin, Glucose, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Parfum, Pentylene Glycol, Serine, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Algin, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Pullulan, Sodium Hyaluronate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate
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
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 GlycolThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylyl 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycolPolysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Water. 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
