What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSqualane
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Trehalose, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Panthenol, Trisiloxane, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Squalane, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sodium Metaphosphate, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
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
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 HyaluronateTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
