What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Propanediol
Solvent
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Dihydroxypropyl Arginine Hcl
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
PEG-9 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Tridecane
Perfuming
Undecane
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-21
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Surfactin
CleansingPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glucosylrutin
Antioxidant
Polyester-7
Skin ConditioningPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Emulsifying
Hydrolyzed Corn Starch
HumectantHydrolyzed Corn Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentIsoquercitrin
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract
UV FilterPhenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Propanediol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sorbitan Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dihydroxypropyl Arginine Hcl, Hydrogenated Lecithin, PEG-9 Dimethicone, Cetearyl Methicone, Tridecane, Undecane, Caprylyl Methicone, Steareth-21, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Surfactin, Phytosterols, Sucrose Cocoate, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc PCA, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ectoin, Glycerin, Glucosylrutin, Polyester-7, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Zea Mays Starch, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Cocamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch, Hydrolyzed Corn Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isoquercitrin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Salicylic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactic Acid, 10-Hydroxydecanoic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Hydrated Silica, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Glucose, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hyaluronate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingPolyphenylsilsesquioxane
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Vinyl Dimethicone
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Glycerin, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Dimethicone, Tromethamine, Polyphenylsilsesquioxane, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Vinyl Dimethicone, Panthenol, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Glucoside, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Tocopherol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol
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
This ingredient is a silicone elastomer that works as a texture enhancer, adds a silky slip, and also helps absorb excess oil.
Because it's a large macromolecule that's insoluble in water and chemically inert, it's not expected to penetrate or be absorbed into skin.
Human patch tests with a facial lotion containing 1% of this ingredient found no sensitization.
Learn more about Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone CrosspolymerGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneWater. 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
