What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polysilicone-11
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Decyloxazolidinone
AntimicrobialMagnesium Sulfate
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Xylitol
Humectant
Propylene Carbonate
SolventCitric Acid
Buffering
Menthoxypropanediol
Masking
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Saponins
CleansingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Malva Sylvestris Extract
AstringentAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Palmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCitral
Perfuming
Aframomum Angustifolium Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Officinale Flower Extract
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Niacinamide, Polysilicone-11, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Alcohol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, CI 77891, Parfum, Mica, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Phenoxyethanol, Boron Nitride, Decyloxazolidinone, Magnesium Sulfate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Xylitol, Propylene Carbonate, Citric Acid, Menthoxypropanediol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Sodium Hydroxide, Adenosine, Saponins, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Malva Sylvestris Extract, Aluminum Hydroxide, CI 77491, Tocopherol, Geraniol, Saccharide Isomerate, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citronellol, CI 77492, Citral, Aframomum Angustifolium Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract
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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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
