What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPEG-32
HumectantCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Behenate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningGlutamic Acid
HumectantPolyquaternium-52
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
PerfumingMethylparaben
PreservativeWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Cocoate
EmollientHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantUbiquinone
AntioxidantBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantZea Mays Oil
EmulsifyingBeta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Dehydroacetic Acid
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Stearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Octyldodecanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ubiquinone, Biotin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Zea Mays Oil, Beta-Carotene, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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