What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Betaine, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Saccharide Isomerate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
PCA Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Tromethamine
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Raffinose
Skin ConditioningStearyl Behenate
Emollient
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Tryptophan
MaskingHydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Acorus Gramineus Extract
HumectantLinalool
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Trehalose, Methyl Trimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Phenyl Trimethicone, PCA Dimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Carbomer, Propanediol, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Raffinose, Stearyl Behenate, Malachite Extract, Parfum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Tranexamic Acid, Tryptophan, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Beta-Glucan, Limonene, Acorus Gramineus Extract, Linalool, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylatePolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is a plant-derived emulsifier whose only job is to keep the oily and watery parts of a formula blended so it doesn't separate into layers.
It's compatible with a wide-range of active ingredients and especially good at making emulsions survive heat/freeze cycles.
Typical use concentrations range from 2-3% and it works across a pH of 4.5-8.5.
This ingredient has been found safe to use in cosmetics and has a low irritation profile.
Because it's build on stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that falls within the range (C11-24) that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose DistearateTromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.
It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.
This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.
Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
