What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Magnesium Sulfate
Disodium EDTA
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Methylpropanediol
SolventParfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Ethyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Myristyl Malate Phosphonic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Magnesium Sulfate, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Laurate, Dipropylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Methylpropanediol, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantMedicago Sativa Extract
TonicHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Magnesium Sulfate
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingBis-Vinyl Dimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Citric Acid
Buffering
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
Abrasive
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Stearyl Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Medicago Sativa Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Sclerotium Gum, Bis-Vinyl Dimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Citric Acid, CI 77891, Tin Oxide, Sodium Citrate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA
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 GlycolCyclopentasiloxane, or D5, is a silicone used to improve texture of products and trap moisture.
D5 is considered lightweight and volatile. Volatile means it evaporates quickly after application. Once evaporated, D5 leaves a thin barrier that helps keep skin hydrated.
It is also an emollient. Emollients help soften the skin and prevent water loss. Silicones create a silky texture in products. D5 helps other ingredients become more spreadable.
Studies show D5 is safe to use in skincare products. We recommend speaking with a skincare professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 GlycerinMagnesium Sulfate is a salt. More specifically, it is an epsom salt, or the bath salt used to help relieve muscle aches.
Despite having ‘sulfate’ in the name, it isn’t a surfactant or cleansing agent like sodium lauryl sulfate. Unlike those sulfates, magnesium sulfate doesn’t have the same cleansing or foaming properties (it's simply a type of salt).
In cosmetics, Magnesium Sulfate is used to thicken a product or help dilute other solids. It is a non-reactive and non-irritating ingredient.
One study shows magnesium deficiency may lead to inflammation of the skin. Applying magnesium topically may help reduce inflammation.
You can find this ingredient in sea water or mineral deposits.
Learn more about Magnesium SulfatePhenoxyethanol 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 Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
