What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl 2-Glyceryl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Octocrylene, Butylene Glycol, Ectoin, Ascorbic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl 2-Glyceryl Ascorbate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethylhexyl Succinate
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Hydrogen Dimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
Antioxidant
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Zinc Oxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hydrated Silica, Glycerin, Lauroyl Lysine, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Arginine, Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
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 GlycolThis ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.
It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.
In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.
Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.
The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.
It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.
The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.
One last thing worth knowing for context:
Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.
Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.
This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateGlycerin (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 Acetylated Hyaluronate is a type of Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acids help moisturize, soothe, and protect the skin.
Read about common types of Hyaluronic Acid here:
Learn more about Sodium Acetylated HyaluronateSodium 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
