What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
Humectant
C13-15 Alkane
SolventPEG-100 Stearate
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientOctyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSteareth-2
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Disteareth-100 Ipdi
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Blue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Gluconolactone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, C13-15 Alkane, PEG-100 Stearate, Lactobionic Acid, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Ethylhexanoate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethoxydiglycol, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phospholipids, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Phosphatidylcholine, Octyldodecanol, Myristic Acid, Ceteareth-20, Steareth-2, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Hydroxide, Laureth-7, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Disteareth-100 Ipdi, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Blue 1 Lake, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingResveratrol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Genistein
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Resveratrol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Phospholipids, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Carnosine, Genistein, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Tetrasodium 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 GlycolEthoxydiglycol is a synthetic solvent.
Solvents are used to keep ingredients together in a product. They can help dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
Ethoxydiglycol also helps deliver other key ingredients into the skin.
Learn more about EthoxydiglycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractPhenoxyethanol 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.
Phospholipids are a family of skin-identical lipids that makeup the structural backbone of every cell membrane in your body.
In cosmetics, they function as skin conditioning agents with emulsifier and surfactant properties. They're typically sourced from soybean or sunflower lecithin (or sometimes egg yolk or marine sources).
Because they mirror the lipids naturally found in the deeper layers of your skin, topical phospholipids help reinforce the lipid matrix, reduce transepidermal water loss, and leave skin feeling conditioned.
They're also used to form liposomes, or tiny self-assembling vesible used to stabilize actives like vitamin c or retinol. This helps these ingredients integrate into the upper layers of skin more easily.
Phospholipids are compatible with everything and the CIR Expert Panel has concluded them to be safe at current use levels.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe since phospholipids contain fatty acid chains in the C11-24 range that the malassezia yeast likes to feed on.
Some types of phospholipids include:
Learn more about PhospholipidsSodium 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
