What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSerine
Masking
Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Niacin
SmoothingCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDiglycerin
Humectant
PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24
EmulsifyingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSalicylic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Serine, Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Niacin, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Diglycerin, PPG-13-Decyltetradeceth-24, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Serine
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientSoluble Collagen
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Arachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Astaxanthin, Serine, Tocopherol, Retinyl Palmitate, Hyaluronic Acid, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Soluble Collagen, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerButylene 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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTASerine is a non-essential amino acid (your body makes it on its own!). It is a major player in your skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
Serine is one of your NMF's most abundant components that works as a skin-identical humectant. Its hydroxyl group grabs onto water molecules to boost hydration without any heaviness or occlusion.
Research on a hydrogel with serine confirmed this serine got delivered to your stratum corneum and demonstrated enhanced skin moisturization.
Interestingly serine also helps your skin produce filaggrin, a protein that keeps your skin barrier strong and used to create collagen.
Learn more about SerineSodium 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 HydroxideTocopherol (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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
