What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Escin
TonicSerine
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract
Astringent
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Pullulan
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Trehalose
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingHydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingPantolactone
Humectant
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Betaine, Panthenol, Glycerin, Urea, Caffeine, Escin, Serine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Algin, Pullulan, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Trehalose, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Sodium Citrate, Pantolactone, Potassium Phosphate, Citric Acid
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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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateSodium 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
