What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PPG-12
Skin ConditioningMethylal
SolventGlucose
Humectant
Ethyl Ether
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, PPG-12, Methylal, Glucose, Ethyl Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Propanediol, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolSodium 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 Water
