What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Butyl Avocadate
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingO-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Propyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Xylitylglucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Anhydroxylitol, PEG-100 Stearate, Bisabolol, Butyl Avocadate, Xylitol, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Carbomer, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Parfum, Propyl Gallate, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPerlite
Absorbent
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Isohexadecane
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Piroctone Olamine
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Water, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Perlite, Sodium Lactate, Isohexadecane, Alcohol Denat., Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Bisabolol, Bakuchiol, Glycerin, Zinc Gluconate, Polysorbate 80, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Salicylic Acid, Sorbitan Oleate, Piroctone Olamine, Tocopherol, Chlorphenesin, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButylene 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 GlycolChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is more commonly known as IPMP or Isopropyl Methylphenol. It is a preservative and has antimicrobial properties.
According to the EPA, this ingredient is allowed for use in cleansers, creams, powders, bath products, toothpaste, perfume, and more.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
