What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingDisodium EDTA
Glucose
Humectant
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Glycogen
HumectantHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingLecithin
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Succinate
BufferingSoluble Collagen
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Ether, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Capryloyl Glycine, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Disodium EDTA, Glucose, Glyceryl Laurate, Glycogen, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Lecithin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Parfum, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, PEG-8, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Succinate, Soluble Collagen, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Bisulfite, Sorbic Acid, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
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 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 EDTAPhenoxyethanol 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 Water
