What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Trehalose
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Siloxanetriol Alginate
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Trehalose, Sodium PCA, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Niacinamide, Caffeine, Siloxanetriol Alginate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycolic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Rosa Rugosa Flower Water
Masking
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Rosa Rugosa Flower Water, Glycereth-26, Squalane, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Arginine, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Butylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Polysorbate 20, Glucose, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 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 20Water. 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
