What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingPPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Erythritol
Humectant
Fructose
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSaccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningCentaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
AstringentLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Theanine
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningInositol
Humectant
Potentilla Erecta Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Betaine, Glycerin, Trehalose, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Sodium Citrate, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Citric Acid, Erythritol, Fructose, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Potassium Hydroxide, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Theanine, Hydrolyzed Silk, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Inositol, Potentilla Erecta Root Extract, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Magnesium Chloride
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
PEG-6
HumectantPEG-32
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingLactic Acid
Buffering
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
PEG-150
HumectantPPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ammonium Lactate
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Magnesium Chloride, Glycerin, PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, PEG-6, PEG-32, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Lauryl Betaine, Lactic Acid, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, PEG-150, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Triethanolamine, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Ammonium Lactate, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
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 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 AcidDipropylene 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 ‘good’ 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin 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.
We don't have a description for PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24 yet.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
