What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingIsohexadecane
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Isohexadecane, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAcrylates Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Methylparaben
PreservativeSodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Amodimethicone
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantDenatonium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Methylparaben, Sodium Carbomer, Pvp, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Amodimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Denatonium Benzoate
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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsononyl Isononanoate is a synthetic skin-conditioner and texture enhancer. It is created from nonanoic acid, a fatty acid found in cocoa and lavender oil.
As an emollient, Isononyl Isononanoate helps keep your skin soft and smooth. This is because emollients create a barrier on the skin to trap moisture in.
Isononyl Isononanoate helps give products a velvet feel and improves spreadability.
Learn more about Isononyl IsononanoateMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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