What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingSqualane
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingArginine
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Aphanothece Sacrum Exopolysaccharides
AbsorbentSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Triethylhexanoin, Squalane, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Phosphate, Arginine, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Aphanothece Sacrum Exopolysaccharides, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum Extract
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Propylene Glycol Alginate
Water, Dimethicone, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Methicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Bakuchiol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, 4-T-Butylcyclohexanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Oil, Polysorbate 80, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Sorbitan Oleate, Retinol, Carbomer, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Acacia Senegal Gum Extract, Tocopherol, Propylene Glycol Alginate
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 CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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
