What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantOctocrylene
UV AbsorberIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentMethylpropanediol
SolventIsobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol
BleachingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlucosylrutin
AntioxidantSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDimethicone
EmollientIsoquercitrin
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingTrisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Octocrylene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Distarch Phosphate, Methylpropanediol, Isobutylamido Thiazolyl Resorcinol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Tocopherol, Glucosylrutin, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dimethicone, Isoquercitrin, Citric Acid, Sodium Chloride, Trisodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAsiaticoside
AntioxidantMadecassic Acid
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantOligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-3
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Madecassoside, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-3, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Beta-Glucan, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Trehalose, Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol Denat., Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Phosphate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an emulsifier and helps condition the skin. It is amino acid-based.
In higher amounts, it may act as a cleansing agent.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water