What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Enteromorpha Compressa Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
Humectant
Magnesium PCA
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningManganese PCA
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sea Water
HumectantMagnesium PCA
Humectant
Manganese PCA
HumectantSodium PCA
Humectant
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMethyl Carboxymethylphenyl Aminocarboxypropylphosphonate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Diglycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Butylene Glycol, Bis-PEG-12 Dimethicone, Niacinamide, Sea Water, Magnesium PCA, Manganese PCA, Sodium PCA, Zinc PCA, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Passiflora Edulis Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Methyl Carboxymethylphenyl Aminocarboxypropylphosphonate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Trehalose, Parfum, Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Diglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Bisulfite, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycolGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinThis ingredient is the magnesium salt of PCA (Pyrrolidone Carboxylic Acid). It is a great skin hydrator for the top layers of skin.
PCA is a natural humectant, meaning it draws water from the air to your outer layer of skin.
One study found magnesium ions improved skin hydration in the outer layer of skin, or the stratum corneum. However, it did not improve TEWL, or the transepidermal water loss. The TEWL is an indicator of how healthy your skin barrier function is. This study primarily looked at healthy skin with intact skin barrier.
Learn more about Magnesium PCAWe don't have a description for Manganese PCA yet.
Parfum 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 ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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 made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.
As a surfactant, it helps collect dirt and oils for washing. Emulsifiers prevent oils and water from separating.
Polysorbate 20 also adds scent to a product. Since it is made using sorbitol, it has a sweet scent. Sorbitol can also be found in fruits such as apples and peaches.
The lauric acid used to create Polysorbate 20 is often derived from coconuts.
Polysorbate 20 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCAWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterZinc PCA (or "zinc salt") differs slightly from zinc itself. PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid. However, Zinc PCA comes from zinc.
It can help reduce redness, regulate sebum, and promote the general healing process of the skin.
Zinc PCA tends to be especially useful for those with oily, acne-prone skin. It's certainly an ingredient worth trying out!
Learn more about Zinc PCA
