What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Nephelium Lappaceum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningFerulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Quercetin
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Morus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Iron Oxides
Water, Propylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Bakuchiol, Retinol, Nephelium Lappaceum Leaf Extract, Ferulic Acid, Ubiquinone, Quercetin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharide Isomerate, Phospholipids, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caffeine, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Salicylic Acid, Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi Leaf Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Glycolic Acid, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Tetrapeptide-21, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Mandelic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Maltodextrin, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlycol Distearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Terminalia Arjuna Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningSteareth-20
CleansingLecithin
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Water, Glycerin, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycol Distearate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Oleic Acid, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chrysin, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Titanium Dioxide, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Steareth-20, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20
Reviews
Alternatives
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 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
