What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Triethanolamine
BufferingLactobionic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Coceth-7
EmulsifyingPPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Escin
TonicGlycerin
Humectant
Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract
Astringent
Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Abronia Villosa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAgave Americana Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningFouquieria Splendens Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningLarrea Tridentata Extract
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Coccinellifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningYucca Brevifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Propylene Glycol, Mandelic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Triethanolamine, Lactobionic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Butylene Glycol, Coceth-7, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Escin, Glycerin, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Centella Asiatica Extract, Abronia Villosa Leaf Extract, Agave Americana Stem Extract, Fouquieria Splendens Stem Extract, Larrea Tridentata Extract, Oenothera Biennis Root Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Flower Extract, Yucca Brevifolia Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid
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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, itβs still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidWater. 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
