What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantIsododecane
EmollientTrimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-17/Ipdi/Dmpa Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tetrasodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol
UV AbsorberPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Isododecane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Butylene Glycol, PPG-17/Ipdi/Dmpa Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Niacinamide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl P-Cresol, Panthenol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Phenoxyethanol 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
