What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Water
MaskingMelissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Menthol
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether
StabilisingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Trideceth-9
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-150 Distearate, Polysorbate 80, Niacinamide, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Water, Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Mentha Piperita Leaf Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Menthol, Pentylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-240/Hdi Copolymer Bis-Decyltetradeceth-20 Ether, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Trideceth-9, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 42090, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Algae Extract
EmollientRosa Hybrid Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningFuscoporia Obliqua Sclerotium Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Chinense Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract
AstringentPoria Cocos Sclerotium Extract
AstringentCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPantethine
EmollientTrehalose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientPEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Disiloxane Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Cellulose
Absorbent
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77288
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Methyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Silica, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Algae Extract, Rosa Hybrid Flower Extract, Fuscoporia Obliqua Sclerotium Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Fruit Extract, Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract, Caffeine, Yeast Extract, Sorbitol, Sodium Polyaspartate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pantethine, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isohexadecane, Isopropyl Isostearate, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Disiloxane Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Disodium EDTA, Tin Oxide, Cellulose, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, BHT, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, CI 77288, Mica, CI 77163, CI 77492
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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 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 80 is a synthetic surfactant and emulsifier derived from sorbitol and oleic acid.
It reduces the surface tension between oil and water phases to help them stay mixed and stable in a formulation. In other words, it prevents your formulas from separating into an oily mess.
The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the scientific data and found this ingredient to be safe, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing at concentrations up to 5% (it's even approved by the FDA as an OTC eye drop ingredient).
Learn more about Polysorbate 80Sodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
