What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
Antioxidant
Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Bisabolol, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Trehalose
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potato Starch Modified
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract
Astringent
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Escin
TonicCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Tribehenin
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Polyglucuronic Acid
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil, Trehalose, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caffeine, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Stearic Acid, Potato Starch Modified, Tocopheryl Acetate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Escin, Ceramide Ng, Tribehenin, Lecithin, Panthenol, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polyglucuronic Acid, Citric Acid, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol
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 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 AcidCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
