What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-32
HumectantPEG-6
HumectantHydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-60 Glyceryl Isostearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Trideceth-12, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sorbitan Stearate, Beeswax, Dimethicone, PEG-32, PEG-6, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cholesterol, Linoleic Acid, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Euglena Gracilis Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Ceramide NP, Euglena Gracilis Extract, Tocopherol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 HyaluronateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
