What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Soy Isoflavones
Skin ConditioningQuercetin
Antioxidant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Carnitine
Cleansing
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningHectorite
AbsorbentSilica
Abrasive
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Pentasodium Pentetate
Potassium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Gluconate
Skin ProtectingPhytic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium PCA, Squalane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Lactic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ng, Superoxide Dismutase, Ubiquinone, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ectoin, Niacinamide, Soy Isoflavones, Quercetin, Phospholipids, Caffeine, Tranexamic Acid, Ferulic Acid, Carnitine, Adenosine, Zinc PCA, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Hectorite, Silica, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Cetearyl Olivate, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Olivate, Citric Acid, Pentasodium Pentetate, Potassium Citrate, Potassium Gluconate, Phytic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCeteth-20
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Methylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningPhytonadione Epoxide
AstringentHydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningAesculus Hippocastanum Bark Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingSuperoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Pinanediol
Skin ConditioningCamphanediol
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Cholate
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ceteth-20, Propanediol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lecithin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Alcohol, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Phytonadione Epoxide, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Aesculus Hippocastanum Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycine Soja Protein, Superoxide Dismutase, Pinanediol, Camphanediol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Cholate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbic Acid, Parfum
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 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 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 PhenoxyethanolPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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 HyaluronateSorbic Acid is a preservative that stops your product from spoiling by stopping microbes from growing.
As a preservative, it's kind of a specialist: it has a broad spectrum of activity against yeast and molds but is weaker against bacteria. That's why it's often paired with another preservative to cover that gap.
This ingredient is also pretty picky about pH; it performs best at pH 6.5 or below.
At the right pH level, sorbic acid is "active" and can slip through the outer wall of a microbe. Once inside, it turns the cell's interior more acidic to shut down the microbe from the inside.
The EU caps this ingredient at 0.6% while the CIR has concluded it's safe at concentrations up to 1%. It's most often used around 0.05-0.2% in cosmetics.
Though this ingredient is considered low-sensitizing and well-tolerated, a very small number of people may have a contact allergy to it. Be sure to patch test if you have a history of allergies towards preservatives.
Learn more about Sorbic AcidSuperoxide Dismutase is found in all living cells. This ingredient is AKA as 'SOD'.
SOD is a strong antioxidant. It protects living cells against oxidative damage by breaking down radical molecules into regular oxygen and hydrogen peroxide.
Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules that may damage your skin's DNA. This may help with the signs of aging. Due to its antioxidant property, it is used to help treat chronic inflammation.
In cosmetics, SOD is usually obtained from marine phytoplankton, bovine liver, horseradish, cantaloupe, and certain bacteria.
The three major families of SOD include: Copper/Zinc, Iron/Manganese, and Nickel.
When eating SOD-rich foods, our bodies break it down into amino acids before absorption. Foods that contain SOD include: melons, citrus, spinach, broccoli, kale, almonds, sunflower seeds, and blue-green algae.
Learn more about Superoxide DismutaseWater. 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
