What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Amodimethicone
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
Water, 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
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Laureth-3
EmulsifyingLaureth-25
CleansingEuglena Gracilis Polysaccharide
Gel FormingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylamide
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Dimyristate
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningChrysanthellum Indicum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAroma
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Hydroxylated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCholesterol
Emollient
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
CI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Laureth-3, Laureth-25, Euglena Gracilis Polysaccharide, Pvp, Polyacrylamide, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Dimyristate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Lecithin, Propylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylparaben, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aroma, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Hydroxylated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Carnosine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, CI 75470, CI 15985, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholButylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinMethylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Pvp is a water-soluble synthetic polymer and common hairstyling ingredient. It is a film-forming ingredient and used to "hold" specific shapes of hair.
In cosmetics, PVP helps products like sunscreens and color cosmetics last longer and wear more evenly.
It is less effective in high-humidity. It tends to draw moisture, but this moisture dismantles the structure and "hold".
PVP is generally well tolerated on skin and toxicity studies are negative for dermal irritation.
Learn more about PvpWater. 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
