What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Neoruscogenin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Ruscogenin
Skin ConditioningDisodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Carnosine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caffeine, Sodium Citrate, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Phenoxyethanol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Propylene Glycol, Adenosine, Neoruscogenin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Ruscogenin, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Hexylene Glycol, Laminaria Digitata Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
CI 77120
Cosmetic ColorantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Mannitol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCreatine
Skin ConditioningEscin
TonicGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate
StabilisingAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientDisodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Methylparaben
Preservative
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Propylparaben
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSuperoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Tromethamine
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, CI 77120, Butylene Glycol, Mannitol, Chlorphenesin, CI 77891, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sclerotium Gum, Creatine, Escin, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Carnosine, Tris(Tetramethylhydroxypiperidinol)Citrate, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Algae Extract, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Plankton Extract, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Methylparaben, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Methylparaben, Sodium Bisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Pentylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Propylparaben, Ethylhexylglycerin, Superoxide Dismutase, Tromethamine, Citric Acid
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 GlycolCarnosine is a dipeptide made from two amino acids.
This ingredient helps:
Glycation is the process of sugars binding to and damaging proteins. Too much sugar in our skin can lead to damaged collagen, contributing to factors of aging.
Carnosine is water-soluble and is not able to travel deeper layers of skin. This leads to some doubt about whether it can boost collagen in skin, since collagen is located in the deeper layers of skin.
Fun fact: Carnosine can be naturally found in our muscles and brain.
Learn more about CarnosineWe don't have a description for Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate yet.
Glycerin (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 Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer is made up of glycerin and polyacrylic acid. It helps hydrate your skin as a humectant.
This ingredient forms a hydrogel that delivers moisturizing, water-based ingredients to the skin. It is also used to thicken a product and to give it a smooth texture.
Acrylic acid itself is toxic, but the polymer form (this ingredient) is too large to penetrate skin, making it non-toxic.
Learn more about Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid CopolymerPentylene 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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene 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
