What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSh-Polypeptide-121
Skin ConditioningDipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-68
BleachingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningSerine
MaskingAlanine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingThreonine
Arginine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingPCA
HumectantGlutamic Acid
HumectantLysine Hcl
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantDextran
Glycine Soja Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Oleate
CleansingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-121, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Oligopeptide-68, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Tocopherol, Dextran, Glycine Soja Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Polyquaternium-51, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, T-Butyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Oleate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialSodium Cocoyl Amino Acids
CleansingCarnosine
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Lecithin
EmollientRetinol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientBHT
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSarcosine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Caprylyl Glycol, Trehalose, Sorbitan Olivate, Propanediol, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Cocoyl Amino Acids, Carnosine, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Lecithin, Retinol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Yeast Extract, Sarcosine, Sodium Hydroxide, Magnesium Aspartate, Potassium Aspartate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
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