What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glycogen
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract
Dextran
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
AstringentWater, Dimethicone, Oryza Sativa Starch, Butylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glycerin, Squalane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Laureth-4, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Chlorphenesin, Carbomer, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Disodium EDTA, Glycogen, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Dextran, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-3, Trifolium Pratense Flower Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCyclomethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Polyacrylamide
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLaureth-7
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cyclomethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Caffeine, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Laureth-7, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
You may know this ingredient as argan oil. It has emollient and skin conditioning properties that help soften skin and reinforce the lipid barrier.
The fatty acid profile of argan oil is roughly 45-55% oleic acid, 28-36% linoleic acid, 10-15% palmitic acid, and 5-7% stearic acid. It also contains vitamin E, sterols, squalene, and polyphenols like ferulic acid.
Two clinical studies in postmenopausal women found that applying argan oil for 60 days significantly improved skin elasticity and moisturization (reduced transepidermal water loss and increased epidermal water content).
Since it is high in oleic and linoleic acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Both of these fall in the C11-C24 range that Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Argania Spinosa Kernel OilButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDimethicone Crosspolymer is a silicone created by modifying dimethicone with hydrocarbon side chains. Due to its large size, it does not penetrate skin. It is considered non-occlusive.
Dimethicone Crosspolymer is used to stabilize and thicken products. It also helps give products a silky feel.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
