What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Hexanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arginine
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Betaine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethyl Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Arginine, Dimethicone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Palmitic Acid, Panthenol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Adenosine, Water, Myristic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingLactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Pullulan
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Behenyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Carbomer, Dipropylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, PEG-20 Sorbitan Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Phenoxyethanol, PPG-10 Methyl Glucose Ether, Propanediol, Pullulan, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Stearate, Squalane, Tocopherol
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCarbomer 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 CarbomerPhenoxyethanol 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
