What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Sorbitol
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Olivate
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Potassium Cocoate
Emulsifying
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Isethionate
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Camellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientLecithin
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAcrylic Acid/Acrylamidomethyl Propane Sulfonic Acid Copolymer
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Sorbitol, Palmitic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Cetearyl Olivate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Parfum, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sorbitan Olivate, Potassium Cocoate, Coconut Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Isethionate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Propanediol, Diisopropyl Adipate, Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf Extract, Acrylic Acid/Acrylamidomethyl Propane Sulfonic Acid Copolymer, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 CaprylatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolWater. 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
