What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingIllite
AbrasiveHectorite
AbsorbentHoney
HumectantJojoba Esters
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCharcoal
AbrasivePEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingGold
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantKaolin
AbrasiveSantalum Album Oil
MaskingHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMica
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Disodium EDTA
Stearic Acid
CleansingPEG-150
HumectantPEG-150 Stearate
Citric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Illite, Hectorite, Honey, Jojoba Esters, Trehalose, Glycerin, Charcoal, PEG-150 Distearate, Gold, Tocopherol, Kaolin, Santalum Album Oil, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Mica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, PEG-150, PEG-150 Stearate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, CI 77492
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingWater
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingStearic Acid
CleansingBetaine
HumectantCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMyristic Acid
CleansingCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningSnail Secretion Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Water, Palmitic Acid, Arginine, Carbomer, Stearic Acid, Betaine, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Myristic Acid, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum