What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Nobilis Peel Extract, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tromethamine, Adenosine, Madecassoside, Sodium Phytate, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Linolenic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Maltitol
HumectantGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Citrus Junos Peel Oil
Astringent
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil
Masking
Thymus Vulgaris Oil
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Maltitol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Citrus Junos Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 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
