What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
C13-15 Alkane
SolventIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingC13-14 Alkane
SolventPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
C15-23 Alkane
SolventDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Fucus Spiralis Extract
EmollientXylitol
Humectant
Tetraselmis Chui Extract
EmollientSodium Phytate
Piperonyl Glucoside
Skin ProtectingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Arginine, Propanediol, C13-15 Alkane, Isopentyldiol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sclerotium Gum, C13-14 Alkane, Pentylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Benzoate, Anhydroxylitol, C15-23 Alkane, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Fucus Spiralis Extract, Xylitol, Tetraselmis Chui Extract, Sodium Phytate, Piperonyl Glucoside, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Potassium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Salicylic Acid 1.5%
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingC13-15 Alkane
SolventPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Phytate
Pullulan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Succinic Acid
BufferingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Salicylic Acid 1.5%, Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Sodium Citrate, C13-15 Alkane, Panthenol, Gluconolactone, Silica, Zinc PCA, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Phytate, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Bisabolol, Succinic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Calcium Gluconate, Centella Asiatica Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C13-15 Alkane is a group of alkanes with 13 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.
It is a solvent and texture enhancer. 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.
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 GlycerinPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxidePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSclerotium Gum is a natural sugar-based fiber made by fermenting a fungus called Sclerotium rolfsii. It's often used as the plant-friendly alternative for synthetic thickeners like carbomer.
In skincare, it works as a thickener, gel former, and stabilizer that keeps heavy ingredients suspended so a product does not separate.
It is non-ionic and forms a triple helix in solution. This is just a fancy way of saying it builds a smooth, cushiony, and non-sticky gel that feels silkier than many other gums.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it is very sturdy and holds up across a wide pH range (~2-11). It's also good at resisting heat and hydrolysis.
Since it holds water at the skin surface, it can provide some light hydration as well.
Typical use levels are around 0.25-2%; formulators usually use 0.2-0.5% to thicken lotions and up to 2% for a firmer gel base.
This ingredient has been found safe in cosmetics with no meaningful evidence of skin sensitization.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
