What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Propanediol
Solvent
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-4 Stearate
Emulsifying
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Punica Granatum Sterols
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Monarda Didyma Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Hull Extract
MoisturisingSilver
Cosmetic ColorantPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAmaranthus Caudatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Oleate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Polyacrylate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingCocos Nucifera Fruit Juice
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Water
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Linalool
Perfuming
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Isoamyl Laurate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Propanediol, Coconut Alkanes, Dicaprylyl Ether, Polyglyceryl-4 Stearate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Squalane, Punica Granatum Sterols, Linoleic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Monarda Didyma Extract, Oryza Sativa Hull Extract, Silver, Polyglutamic Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Oil, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Saccharomyces Lysate, Decyl Oleate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sorbic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Citric Acid, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Juice, Cocos Nucifera Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylyl Glycol, Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Linalool, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tetradecane
Perfuming
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dilauryl Thiodipropionate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Tetradecane, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Benzyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Oleate, Sucrose Palmitate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneSodium 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
