What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientJojoba Esters
Emollient
C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningMicrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Lactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Lecithin
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingErgothioneine
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Jojoba Esters, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Glycerin, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Caffeine, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Micrococcus Lysate, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lactis Proteinum, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Phytosterols, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Lecithin, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Glycine Soja Protein, Ergothioneine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Mica
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Glucose
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Isostearate, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Adenosine Triphosphate, Acetyl Tyrosine, Proline, Bisabolol, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Glucose, Allantoin, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Pentylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Butylene Glycol, Aminomethyl Propanol, Lactic Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA
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 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-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.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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
