What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingSargassum Filipendula Extract
Skin ProtectingStevioside
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingMorus Alba Root Extract
BleachingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hexapeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Stevioside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Morus Alba Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Hexapeptide-3
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Poria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentCucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysilicone-11
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingMyrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract
HumectantParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingPolyacrylic Acid
Emulsion StabilisingAchillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGentiana Scabra Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Diisostearyl Malate, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate, Niacinamide, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Poria Cocos Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caffeine, Cyclodextrin, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Xanthan Gum, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Laureth-7, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Leaf/Stem Extract, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Triethanolamine, Polyacrylic Acid, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Acanthopanax Senticosus Root Extract, Gentiana Scabra Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Carbomer
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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium 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
