What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Methylpropanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Wine Extract
Antioxidant
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellinus Linteus Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract
Antimicrobial
Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Angelica Gigas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Methylpropanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Palmitic Acid, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Carbomer, Betaine, Wine Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Oleic Acid, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinWater. 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
