What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Styrene/Vp Copolymer
Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycosphingolipids
EmollientGlucosyl Ceramide
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract, Glycosphingolipids, Glucosyl Ceramide, Alpha-Glucan, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 80, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingHydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Lees Extract
Skin ConditioningRice Ferment Lees
HumectantHydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientCitrus Junos Extract
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIsomerized Safflower Acid
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacrylate
StabilisingAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientArginine
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Triethylhexanoin, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Oryza Sativa Lees Extract, Rice Ferment Lees, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Glycosphingolipids, Citrus Junos Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Momordica Charantia Fruit Extract, Isomerized Safflower Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lysolecithin, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Ammonium Polyacrylate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Arginine, Citric Acid, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Carbomer, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Titanium Dioxide, Caramel, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Parfum
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 GlycolCitric 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 GlycerinGlycosphingolipids are naturally found in the cell membranes of organisms. In animals, they are the major glycolipids found.
Glyolipids help ensure the stability of cell membranes. They also help with cellular recognition, such as allowing cells to form tissues in skin.
Methylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
