What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Alcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialSodium Chloride
MaskingTriethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Alumina
AbrasiveDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingAlthaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantJuglans Regia Leaf Extract
AbrasiveSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Chloride, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Alumina, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Juglans Regia Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Didecene
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingSoybean Glycerides
EmollientHydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer
Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate
EmulsifyingSodium Chloride
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Ascorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBHT
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77510
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77742
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 73360
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Didecene, Glycerin, Propanediol, Isoamyl Laurate, Squalane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Soybean Glycerides, Hydrogenated Styrene/Isoprene Copolymer, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Sodium Chloride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77163, CI 42090, CI 77289, CI 77288, CI 77510, CI 77742, CI 15850, CI 45410, CI 73360, CI 77007, CI 19140, CI 15985
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
Propanediol 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 PropanediolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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