What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingAlcohol
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSteareth-21
CleansingDiglycerin
HumectantPolyglycerin-3
HumectantAframomum Angustifolium Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Officinale Flower Extract
MaskingSodium Surfactin
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantSodium Tocopheryl Phosphate
AntioxidantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningXylitol
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingCamelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningPolymethyl Methacrylate
Dimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
EmollientCocoglycerides
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlucose
HumectantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Niacinamide, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Steareth-21, Diglycerin, Polyglycerin-3, Aframomum Angustifolium Seed Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Sodium Surfactin, Ceramide NP, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Xylitol, Trehalose, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Glucoside, Parfum, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Cocoglycerides, Sodium Hydroxide, Glucose, CI 14700, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycolic Acid
BufferingBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisiloxane
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientThiodipropionic Acid
Skin ConditioningPhytol
EmollientEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Malachite Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Tourmaline Ferment
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
Ammonium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveParfum
MaskingDimethiconol
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentTiliacora Triandra Leaf/Vine Extract
AntioxidantThiazolylalanine
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentIsomalt
HumectantLecithin
EmollientPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Lysyl Aminovaleroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingSteareth-20
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Sd Alcohol 40-B
AstringentPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Trisiloxane, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Thiodipropionic Acid, Phytol, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract, Saccharomyces/Malachite Ferment, Saccharomyces/Tourmaline Ferment, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Phenyl Trimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Ammonium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Glucoside, Silica, Parfum, Dimethiconol, Maltodextrin, Tiliacora Triandra Leaf/Vine Extract, Thiazolylalanine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Isomalt, Lecithin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Palmitoyl Lysyl Aminovaleroyl Lysine, PEG-150 Distearate, Steareth-20, Disodium EDTA, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Phenoxyethanol, Caramel, CI 14700
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 GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideCi 14700, also known as Red No. 4, is a synthetic red dye derived from petroleum. It is water soluble.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 ParfumWater. 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