What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningArginine PCA
HumectantDiglycerin
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Collagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil
Emollient
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Juniperus Virginiana Oil
Masking
Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Cistus Ladaniferus Leaf/Stem Extract
MaskingHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-80
CleansingDidecyldimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingDianthus Caryophyllus Flower Extract
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMethylpropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhytic Acid
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Trehalose, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Triheptanoin, Arginine PCA, Diglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Collagen Amino Acids, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citrus Paradisi Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf/Nut/Stem Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Tephrosia Purpurea Seed Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Juniperus Virginiana Oil, Tagetes Minuta Flower Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Cistus Ladaniferus Leaf/Stem Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Phospholipids, Carnosine, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglutamic Acid, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Sterols, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sclerotium Gum, Polyquaternium-80, Didecyldimonium Chloride, Dianthus Caryophyllus Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Methylpropanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phytic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethanolamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Ascorbic Acid, Ethoxydiglycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Glycerin, Tocopherol, Ferulic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Phenoxyethanol, Triethanolamine, Panthenol
Reviews
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 GlycolEthoxydiglycol (aka Diethylene Glycol Monoethyl Ether) is one of the cosmetic world's quiet problem solvers.
In a formula, it is a solvent that dissolves tricky ingredients that don't want to mix in and helps spread ingredients evenly across your skin without leaving a greasy or sticky feeling
This makes it great for hard-to-dissolve actives like vitamin C, benzoyl peroxide, and self-tanner DHA.
It also has mild humectant and penetration enhancer abilities so it can help some actives absorb a little deeper.
The penetration boost is backed by lab research: studies using human skin samples found it improved how well an active dissolves into the upper layer of skin rather than tearing down your skin barrier. Reviews of its mechanism also describe it interacting gently with the lipids and water in your outermost layer of skin.
Just know this penetration-enhancing effect is not universal. It helps a lot in some formulas and did very little in others (so the benefit really depends on the specific product).
Safety-wise, the evidence is reassuring. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reviewed it and concluded it's safe for use in cosmetics and recognized it as non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-comedogenic in skincare.
Typical leave-on skincare usage lands around 1-10%. The EU has sets caps of 2.6% in non-spray products, 10% in rinse-offs, 7% in oxidative hair dye, and 5% in non-oxidative hair dye.
Learn more about EthoxydiglycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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
