What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tripropylene Glycol
Antioxidant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Diglycerin
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Betula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soybean Extract
Skin ConditioningJania Rubens Extract
Skin ConditioningMucuna Birdwoodiana Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Santalum Album Wood Extract
Perfuming
Soluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Algin
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
Emollient
Disodium Succinate
MaskingEthyl Oleate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Succinic Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Tripropylene Glycol, Alcohol, Diglycerin, Methyl Gluceth-10, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Adenosine, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Bark Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hydrolyzed Soybean Extract, Jania Rubens Extract, Mucuna Birdwoodiana Stem Extract, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Polygonum Bistorta Root Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Santalum Album Wood Extract, Soluble Proteoglycan, Tocopherol, Algin, Carbomer, Cholesterol, Disodium Succinate, Ethyl Oleate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Lecithin, Oleyl Alcohol, PEG-50 Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Metaphosphate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Succinic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Glyceryl Isostearate, Madecassoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
Alternatives
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
