What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Mel
EmollientCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Triethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Mel, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, BHT, Carbomer, Parfum, Limonene, Citral, Linalool, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, CI 15985, CI 61570
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAgave Tequilana Leaf Extract
AstringentAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSalicylic Acid
Masking
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Water, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Chlorphenesin, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Phenoxyethanol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Polyglyceryl-10 Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
