What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantParfum
MaskingHydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantRuscus Aculeatus Root Extract
AstringentGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin ConditioningT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin ConditioningCryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingCitral
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Isononyl Isononanoate, Butylene Glycol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Parfum, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Propylene Glycol, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Caffeine, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Limonene, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, T-Butyl Alcohol, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Cryptomeria Japonica Bud Extract, Linalool, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingDipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice
Skin ConditioningOrmenis Multicaulis Oil
MaskingGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Oil
EmulsifyingHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
PerfumingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingLonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingPlantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantTaurine
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTeprenone
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingSodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialCitronellol
PerfumingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGeraniol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingSodium Sulfite
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Zea Mays Oil, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Plantago Lanceolata Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Taurine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Teprenone, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Carbomer, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Phenoxyethanol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Alcohol, Citronellol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Geraniol, Linalool, Sodium Sulfite
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 GlycerinGlycine Soja Oil is a plant-derived oil from soybean seeds. Like other oils, it is rich in essential fatty acids (mostly linoleic and oleic) that support skin hydration and barrier function.
The fatty acids are able to integrate into the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum to help soften skin and reduce water loss.
On top of that, soybean oil is rich in vitamins like vitamin E, a potent antioxidant.
Research on soybean's active components also point to anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, antioxidant activity, and protection against UV-induced oxidative damage.
Most of this research applies to the broader soybean plant and not just the oil fraction alone.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe due to the oleic acid content.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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