What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%
UV Absorber
Homosalate 5.5%
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 4%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientDiisopropyl Adipate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ceteth-10 Phosphate
CleansingDicetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Propylparaben
Preservative
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingMica
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Silk Amino Acids
HumectantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Colocasia Antiquorum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPlumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentIron Oxides
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%, Homosalate 5.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 4.5%, Octocrylene 4%, Water, Isohexadecane, Diisopropyl Adipate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Methylparaben, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Dicetyl Phosphate, Parfum, Propylparaben, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Aminomethyl Propanol, Mica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Silk Amino Acids, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Colocasia Antiquorum Root Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Fruit Extract, Plumeria Acutifolia Flower Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Iron Oxides
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethylhexyl Succinate
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Hydrated Silica
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acrylates Copolymer
Hydrogen Dimethicone
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
Antioxidant
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Zinc Oxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Butylene Glycol, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hydrated Silica, Glycerin, Lauroyl Lysine, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates Copolymer, Hydrogen Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Arginine, Bis-Ethylhexyl Hydroxydimethoxy Benzylmalonate
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 GlycolDisodium 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 EDTAMethylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
