What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Isopentyldiol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Propolis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Honey Extract
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Gold
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Arginine, Isopentyldiol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 20, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Propolis Extract, Honey Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Gold, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningMethyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningRosa Damascena Extract
MaskingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Voandzeia Subterranea Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningRhodiola Crenulata Root Extract
EmollientRosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Poloxamer 407
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
PEG-6
HumectantPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingBiosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningC12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCitronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Propanediol, Polyglycerin-3, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Rosa Damascena Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Voandzeia Subterranea Seed Extract, Rhodiola Crenulata Root Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Poloxamer 407, Dimethicone/Phenyl Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, PEG-6, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Biosaccharide Gum-2, C12-14 Pareth-12, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Caramel, Citronellol, Geraniol
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 GlycerinThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
Phenoxyethanol 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 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Sodium 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 HyaluronateSorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
