What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C15-19 Alkane
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol Cocoate
Emulsifying
Cellulose
Absorbent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCarnosine
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Mannitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Ethylcellulose
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Rhamnose
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glabridin
BleachingAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Squalane, Isostearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol Cocoate, Cellulose, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Carnosine, Caffeine, Citric Acid, Mannitol, Xylitol, Ethylcellulose, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Tocopherol, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Rhamnose, Glycine Soja Oil, Glabridin, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Trisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Trehalose
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Algae Extract
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningAsparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin ProtectingErgothioneine
Antioxidant
Thermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Artemia Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Rice Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl PCA
HumectantOleth-10
EmulsifyingLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Trisiloxane, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Trehalose, Sucrose, Algae Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Ergothioneine, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Artemia Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Lauryl PCA, Oleth-10, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Sorbitol, Sodium PCA, Urea, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Cyclodextrin, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, CI 42090
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 GlycolCaffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
