What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSqualane
Emollient
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantPetrolatum
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Pyridoxine Dipalmitate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Polysilicone-11
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
PEG-150
HumectantPEG-8
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hexametaphosphate
MaskingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Squalane, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Caffeine, Methyl Trimethicone, Sorbitol, Sodium Polyaspartate, Petrolatum, Trehalose, Whey Protein, Linoleic Acid, Pyridoxine Dipalmitate, Butylene Glycol, Cholesterol, Sucrose, Polysilicone-11, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, PEG-150, PEG-8, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Hydroxyacetophenone, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Urea, Lanolin Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 17200
Reviews
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 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 GlycerinPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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
