What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acetate
BufferingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Cellulose
Absorbent
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Hydroxyacetophenone, C13-14 Isoparaffin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Niacinamide, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Laureth-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipropylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Sodium Acetate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cellulose, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, CI 75470
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Glycereth-26, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Carbomer, Arginine, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Propylene Glycol, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Allantoin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, CI 19140, CI 77007
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 extract comes from cucumber. Cucumbers are mostly made up of water (95%), and the other 5% is composed of: vitamin C, caffeic acid, fatty acids, amino acids, and other minerals.
Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory, barrier repair, and hydrating properties.
They contain shikimate dehydrigenase, an enzyme shown to help reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.
The amino acids found in cucumbers help nourish our skin's natural acid mantle (it's an important part of our skin barrier). This slightly acidic film acts as a barrier to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants.
Unless you have an allergy to cucumbers, this is generally a non-irritating ingredient.
Fun fact: Cucumis Sativus is native to South Asia and can now be found on every continent.
Learn more about Cucumis Sativus Fruit ExtractEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
