What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lactobionic Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Squalane
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Algin
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cholesterol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Beta-Glucan, Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Ceramide NP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactobionic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Squalane, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Gluconolactone, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Algin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Adenosine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningXylitol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Carrageenan
Agar
MaskingPotassium Chloride
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingUltramarines
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trehalose, Xylitylglucoside, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anhydroxylitol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Yeast Extract, Xylitol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Carrageenan, Agar, Potassium Chloride, Xanthan Gum, Ultramarines, Titanium Dioxide
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 GlycolChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid (HA) that is broken down into lower molecular weight fragments.
It's a humectant that pulls and holds water in the skin to help with hydration, plumpness, and reduce transepidermal water loss.
Because hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid is smaller in size, it can slip past your outermost layer of skin more easily than full-sized HA.
Most formulations will combine all sizes to get the best of both worlds.
Typical usage levels range from 0.01-1%. Any percentage higher than 2% might become goopy and tacky.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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
