What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingSqualane
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientGardenia Taitensis Callus Extract
AntioxidantTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDimethiconol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Dextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Squalane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Gardenia Taitensis Callus Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethiconol, Behenyl Alcohol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Arachidyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, PEG-100 Stearate, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Polyacrylate-13
Parfum
MaskingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingPolyisobutene
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPanax Ginseng Root Water
MaskingPalmitic Acid
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientBupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningMadecassoside
AntioxidantMyristic Acid
Cleansing7-Dehydrocholesterol
Emulsion StabilisingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Polyacrylate-13, Parfum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Stearic Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Palmitic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Madecassoside, Myristic Acid, 7-Dehydrocholesterol, Gluconolactone, Lauric Acid, Tocopherol
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 GlycolCetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumWater. 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