What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Vinyldimethicone
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Olea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Panthenol, Vinyldimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Glucoside, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Zinc PCA, Ascorbic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientPadina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Sucrose
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rice Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantPPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Sucrose, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Sorbitol, Sodium Polyaspartate, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-30, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Caprylyl Glycol, Trehalose, Polysorbate 80, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 GlycerinSodium 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
