What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentAmylopectin
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDextrin
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Betaine Salicylate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSarcosine
Skin Conditioning
Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Amylopectin, Xanthan Gum, Dextrin, Allantoin, Acetyl Glucosamine, Gluconolactone, Betaine Salicylate, Phenoxyethanol, Capryloyl Glycine, Hexylene Glycol, Sarcosine, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, CI 42090, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Succinic Acid
BufferingSilanediol Salicylate
EmollientEthoxydiglycol
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Fructose
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Inositol
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Urea
Buffering
Glabridin
BleachingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPropylparaben
Preservative
CI 14720
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Succinic Acid, Silanediol Salicylate, Ethoxydiglycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, DMDM Hydantoin, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Triethanolamine, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Fructose, Glycine, Inositol, Lactic Acid, Niacinamide, Urea, Glabridin, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Methylparaben, Sodium Chloride, Propylparaben, CI 14720, CI 15985, CI 42090
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 GlycolCi 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural âglueâ that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (thatâs where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But donât skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless youâre highly sensitive, itâs well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
