What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Glyceryl Dilaurate
Emollient
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Glycosaminoglycans
EmollientHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Tripeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Citrulline
Skin ConditioningTripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Urea
Buffering
Glucose
Humectant
Guanidine Hcl
BufferingDipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingAsiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Pantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Glycosaminoglycans, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Tripeptide-10, Citrulline, Tripeptide-1, Lecithin, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Urea, Glucose, Guanidine Hcl, Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline, Panthenol, Phospholipids, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Pvp, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Pantothenic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol Dicaprylate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Nasturtium Officinale Extract
Perfuming
Methylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningRhizobian Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Vitis Vinifera Juice Extract
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
PEG-75 Stearate
Methylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingHydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol Dicaprylate, Squalane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vitis Vinifera Juice Extract, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, PEG-75 Stearate, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Hydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Chlorphenesin
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 StearateSodium 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 HyaluronateTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
