What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Linoleate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Jania Rubens Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Pullulan
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica
Abrasive
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Squalane, Panthenol, Retinyl Linoleate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Jania Rubens Extract, Tocopherol, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Pullulan, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Pullulan
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Water, Butylene Glycol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Ectoin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, PCA, Plankton Extract, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Sodium Ascorbate, Tocopherol, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Pullulan, Betaine, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Sodium Benzoate, Silica
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Pullulan is a low viscosity polysaccharide (a long chain carbohydrate) with binding and film forming properties when dissolved in water. It is used to create a "silicone-like" or silky feel in cosmetics without adding viscosity.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient's ability to easily dissolves makes it a great carrier for active ingredients.
Due to it being edible and tasteless, you'll likely find this ingredient in breath freshener strips. This ingredient is produced from the starch of the fungus, Aureobasidium pullulans.
Pullulan is stable over a broad-range of pH.
Learn more about PullulanPyrus Malus Fruit Extract is extract from Apples. Apples are rich in Vitamin C, sugars, and antioxidants.
The sugar in Apples are humectants and help hydrate the skin. On top of that, apples also contain some acids, such as malic acid. These acids may have a mild exfoliating effect.
Last, the phytochemicals found in apples are strong antioxidants. These antioxidants help with anti-aging as they protect your skin cells against oxidative damage.
Learn more about Pyrus Malus Fruit ExtractSclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
In cosmetics, Sclerotium Gum is used to thicken the texture and to help stabilize other ingredients.
As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaTocopherol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
