What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysilicone-29
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Octenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialSaccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polysilicone-29, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Octenidine Hcl, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Water
Skin ConditioningVp/Methacrylamide/Vinyl Imidazole Copolymer
PEG-40/PPG-8 Methylaminopropyl/Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Vp/Methacrylamide/Vinyl Imidazole Copolymer, PEG-40/PPG-8 Methylaminopropyl/Hydroxypropyl Dimethicone Copolymer, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Polyimide-1, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Potassium Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene 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 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
