What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycolic Acid, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Zinc Gluconate, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides
Skin ConditioningMirabilis Jalapa Extract
Skin ConditioningPolypodium Vulgare Rhizome Extract
HumectantCetraria Islandica Thallus Extract
HumectantSphagnum Magellanicum Extract
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Salicylate
Preservative
Gellan Gum
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tromethamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Superoxide Dismutase, Malachite Extract, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Mirabilis Jalapa Extract, Polypodium Vulgare Rhizome Extract, Cetraria Islandica Thallus Extract, Sphagnum Magellanicum Extract, Arginine, Propanediol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Salicylate, Gellan Gum, Sodium Chloride, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Citric Acid, Tromethamine, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for PPG-26-Buteth-26 yet.
Water. 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
