What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantGlycereth-26
HumectantSucrose
HumectantSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantTrehalose
HumectantMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningHypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingOlea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingTriticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingPEG-75
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPantethine
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantOryzanol
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-8, Glycereth-26, Sucrose, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Trehalose, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, PEG-75, Caffeine, Pantethine, Sorbitol, Butylene Glycol, Oryzanol, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Phytosterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexylene Glycol, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCanola Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantBetaine
HumectantBacopa Monnieri Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientPopulus Tremuloides Bark Extract
AntiseborrhoeicPropylene Glycol
HumectantCistus Incanus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Canola Oil, Dimethicone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Glycerin, Betaine, Bacopa Monnieri Extract, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Populus Tremuloides Bark Extract, Propylene Glycol, Cistus Incanus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide
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 GlycolThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
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 DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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