What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Mannose
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Phenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Isopropyl Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Linalool, Mannose, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate is a polymer made from ammonium salts. It works as a thickener, emulsifier, and texture enhancer that gives gel-creams a silky, lightweight feel.
This ingredient is versatile and low-maintenance so manufacturers love working with it.
Typical usage levels in cosmetics are usually low and in the range of 0.015 - 2.3%.
Learn more about Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl TaurateButylene 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 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
