What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Potassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingGlutamic Acid
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Methionine
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantXylitol
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingErythritol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Methionine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Soluble Collagen, Glycerin, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether, PEG-8, Xylitol, Diglycerin, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Carbomer, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Erythritol, Disodium EDTA, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tranexamic Acid, Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Disodium EDTA, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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.
Sodium 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
