What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingPEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Aspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Carbomer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Bisabolol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Trideceth-6, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Maltodextrin, Aspergillus Ferment, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Lactobacillus, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Vinyldimethicone
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Squalane
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeteareth-25
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCeramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triacetin
AntimicrobialHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningDimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Vinyldimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Squalane, Allantoin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Sodium Phytate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Silica, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceteareth-25, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium PCA, Urea, Behenic Acid, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Trehalose, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Polyquaternium-51, Hexylene Glycol, Ceramide Eos, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Triacetin, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, PEG-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Propanediol, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideGlycerin (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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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
