What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTriethyl Citrate
Masking
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Diglucosyl Gallic Acid
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Propanediol, Diheptyl Succinate, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Triethyl Citrate, Benzoic Acid, Allantoin, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Bisabolol, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, T-Butyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
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
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerCaprylyl 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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 Water
