What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingRubus Idaeus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEpilobium Fleischeri Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Acetyl Carnitine Hcl
Skin ConditioningCreatine
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine Hcl
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Nicotinate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Malt Extract
Skin ProtectingFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningPanicum Miliaceum Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropylcellulose
EmulsifyingSimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Farnesol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Geraniol
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Alcohol Denat., Water, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Epilobium Fleischeri Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Adenosine Phosphate, Arginine, Acetyl Carnitine Hcl, Creatine, Pyridoxine Hcl, Glucosamine Hcl, Caffeine, Tocopheryl Nicotinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Malt Extract, Faex Extract, Panicum Miliaceum Seed Oil, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Simethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Farnesol, Eugenol, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Citral, Limonene, Benzyl Benzoate, Geraniol, Isoeugenol, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicCitral
Perfuming
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Copper PCA
HumectantDisodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Methionine
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Water
TonicNiacinamide
Smoothing
Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract
SoothingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Arginine Hcl, Biotin, Citral, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Copper PCA, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Limonene, Magnesium PCA, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Methionine, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Water, Niacinamide, Nymphaea Caerulea Flower Water, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Pfaffia Paniculata Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc Gluconate
Alternatives
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 GlycolCitral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about CitralLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimonenePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
