What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingMethyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Aphloia Theiformis Leaf Extract
AstringentPropanediol
Solvent
Tribehenin
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthyl Linoleate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract
HumectantLinalool
Perfuming
Alginic Acid
Skin ConditioningSilanetriol
Geraniol
Perfuming
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Octyldodecanol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Acacia Senegal Gum, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Aphloia Theiformis Leaf Extract, Propanediol, Tribehenin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Stearyl Alcohol, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Ethyl Linoleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Lecithin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract, Linalool, Alginic Acid, Silanetriol, Geraniol, Propyl Gallate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Malva Sylvestris Extract
AstringentTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingFaex
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Water, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Polyglycerin-3, Propanediol, Alcohol, Malva Sylvestris Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Steareth-2, Jojoba Esters, Steareth-21, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Chlorphenesin, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Parfum, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Faex, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
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
Glycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of âFRAGRANCEâ or âPARFUMâ according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentylene 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 GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
Itâs 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 HyaluronateStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
