What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
Humectant
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingEthylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
BHT
Antioxidant
BHA
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Diglycerin, Trideceth-9, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Retinol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Cholesterol, Sphingolipids, Phospholipids, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polysorbate 20, Ethylhexylglycerin, T-Butyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, BHT, BHA, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentSqualane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantClimbazole
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Decylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Coumarin
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, PPG-12/Smdi Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Titanium Dioxide, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Cyclodextrin, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Retinal, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Sodium Polyaspartate, Climbazole, Disodium EDTA, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Decylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, BHT, Coumarin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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
