What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientButyl Avocadate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingSalicylic Acid
MaskingSpiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentDimethiconol
EmollientAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingButeth-3
SolventHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate
UV AbsorberLimonene
PerfumingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningTributyl Citrate
SolventCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPropyl Gallate
AntioxidantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Methyl Gluceth-20, Dimethicone, Butyl Avocadate, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Salicylic Acid, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Dimethiconol, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Buteth-3, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Sodium Benzotriazolyl Butylphenol Sulfonate, Limonene, Maltodextrin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Lactobacillus, Tributyl Citrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Propyl Gallate, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-8
HumectantAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingPalmitoyl Olive Leaf Extract
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
MaskingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitrus Grandis Extract
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Grape Fruit Extract
HumectantToluene Sulfonic Acid
Benzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCellulose Acetate Butyrate
Benzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-8, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Palmitoyl Olive Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Grandis Extract, Hydrolyzed Grape Fruit Extract, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Benzyl Benzoate, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 GlycolCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water