What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dextrin Palmitate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDehydroxanthan Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAmodimethicone
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingCI 61565
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Dextrin Palmitate, Carbomer, Parfum, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroxanthan Gum, Amodimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, CI 61565
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingIpomoea Batatas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Alcaligenes Polysaccharides
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phytic Acid
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Polianthes Tuberosa Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrochloric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Gluceth-10, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Polyquaternium-51, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Alcaligenes Polysaccharides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytic Acid, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Polianthes Tuberosa Polysaccharide, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Hydrochloric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol
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 GlycolDipropylene 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 āgoodā 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 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of āFRAGRANCEā or āPARFUMā according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentylene 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.
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 HyaluronateWater. 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
