What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyacrylate-13
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Octapeptide-45
Skin Conditioning
Swertia Chirata Extract
HumectantMagnolol
Antioxidant
Ornithine
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Dunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Betaine
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Polyisobutene
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Palmitate, Polyacrylate-13, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-38, Octapeptide-45, Swertia Chirata Extract, Magnolol, Ornithine, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Ergothioneine, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Phytosterols, Phospholipids, Glycolipids, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Stearic Acid, Betaine, Squalane, Lecithin, Caprylyl Methicone, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Pentylene Glycol, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Propanediol, Polyisobutene, Potassium Sorbate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, P-Anisic Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil
Masking
Ethylene Brassylate
MaskingGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Linalyl Acetate
Masking
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil
Masking
Octanal
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingZinc Pyrithione
Antiseborrhoeic
Water, Butylene Glycol, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Salicylic Acid, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Polyacrylamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Trisiloxane, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Azelaic Acid, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf/Stem Oil, Ethylene Brassylate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Linalool, Linalyl Acetate, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Litsea Cubeba Fruit Oil, Octanal, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Petrolatum, Phenoxyethanol, Phytosterols, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Zinc Pyrithione
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 GlycolGlycerin (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.
Phytosterols are plant-derived sterols (you can think of them as the plant world's version of cholesterol). In cosmetics, this ingredient is usually sourced from soybean, rice bran, shea, sunflower, and other seed oils.
The main actors in this group are β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol (the CIR covers 27 phytosterols).
They work by fitting perfectly into your stratum corneum's lipid matrix since they're structurally similar to cholesterol. Here, they reinforce your skin's barrier.
One small in vivo human study showed topical soybean phytosterols sped up barrier recovery within three days on tape-stripped skin.
Broader research credits them with:
Formulation use typically sit under 5%.
Testing in soy-allergic subjects found no sensitization signals, but be sure to patch test if you are unsure or have existing allergies.
Learn more about PhytosterolsSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
