What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Hydrogen Dimethicone
PEG-9 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
C13-15 Alkane
SolventHeptyl Undecylenate
EmollientSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Benzophenone-3, Phospholipids, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Hydrated Silica, Hydrogen Dimethicone, PEG-9 Dimethicone, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Heptyl Undecylenate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tetraacetylphytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica/Canephora Chaff Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyproline
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Octadecene
SolventHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tapioca Starch
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Gluconate, Glycerin, Water, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Glycosphingolipids, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tetraacetylphytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglutamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Coffea Arabica/Canephora Chaff Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, C10-18 Triglycerides, Tocopherol, Sodium PCA, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Proline, Hydroxyproline, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Stearyl Dimethicone, Octadecene, Hyaluronic Acid, Tapioca Starch, Polymethylsilsesquioxane
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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate is a modified starch used to help thicken a product.
It is also used in foods.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolThis is the synthetic salt of gluconic acid, a form of PHA and mild exfoliant.
It is mainly used to stabilize oil and butter formulations from going bad. Sodium gluconate is a humectant, pH regulator, and chelating agent.
Chelating agents help neutralize unwanted metals from affecting the formulation.
Sodium gluconate is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium GluconateWater. 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
