What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
Preservative
Fucus Vesiculosus Extract
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acacia Seyal Gum Extract
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Methylparaben, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acacia Seyal Gum Extract, Citric Acid, Denatonium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolyacrylamide
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Sodium Carrageenan
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingLinalool
Perfuming
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Limonene
Perfuming
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Citrate
BufferingMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningGlaucine
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Soluble Collagen, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Bakuchiol, Isopentyldiol, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract, Hexyl Cinnamal, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Carrageenan, Laureth-7, Linalool, Coco-Glucoside, Limonene, Caprylyl Glycol, Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Maris Sal, Glaucine, Citric Acid, Biotin
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 GlycolCitric 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 AcidDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
