What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAcetamide Mea
HumectantIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingZinc PCA
HumectantPiroctone Olamine
PreservativePolyacrylamide
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Butylene Glycol
HumectantStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingBiosaccharide Gum-2
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Acetamide Mea, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sclerotium Gum, Zinc PCA, Piroctone Olamine, Polyacrylamide, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Laureth-7, Biosaccharide Gum-2, Disodium EDTA, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientSqualane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydrogenated Rice Bran Oil
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingMannitol
HumectantCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveZinc Chloride
AntimicrobialCholesterol
EmollientBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningSphingolipids
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMyristic Acid
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantLauric Acid
CleansingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Rice Bran Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Mannitol, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Metaphosphate, Ceramide NP, Carbomer, Palmitic Acid, Silica, Zinc Chloride, Cholesterol, Beta-Glucan, Sphingolipids, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Myristic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Lauric Acid, Tocopherol
Reviews
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 (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 StearateWater. 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