What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningDiglycerin
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Styrene/Vp Copolymer
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Diglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-10
EmulsifyingMilk Ferment
Skin ConditioningGlycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSoy Protein Phthalate
EmollientRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Soy Isoflavones
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer
PEG-20 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentCeramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
PEG-5 Soy Sterol
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientTrilaureth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingPullulan
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Lecithin
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Starch
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-10, Milk Ferment, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Soy Protein Phthalate, Retinol, Soy Isoflavones, Retinyl Palmitate, Ceramide Ng, Styrene/Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-20 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sorbitan Isostearate, Alcohol Denat., Glyceryl Caprylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Glycosyl Trehalose, Cyclodextrin, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, PEG-5 Soy Sterol, Glyceryl Caprylate/Caprate, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate, Pullulan, Polyquaternium-51, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 80, Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Starch, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
