What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Glycerin, Isostearic Acid, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Saccharide Isomerate, Tocopherol, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxypropyl Bislauramide Mea
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Polyacrylate-13
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Squalane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Betaine, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, C14-22 Alcohols, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Hydroxypropyl Bislauramide Mea, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Polyacrylate-13, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Allantoin, Arachidyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phytosphingosine, Panthenol, Propanediol, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ns, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ceramide EOP
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 GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
