What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Azeloyl Diglycinate
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSalicylic Acid
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Salicylic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Zinc PCA, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-7
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Geranium Robertianum Extract
AstringentPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Thymus Serpyllum Extract
Skin ConditioningAlpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlutathione
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyquaternium-7, Niacinamide, Alpha-Arbutin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Tranexamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Geranium Robertianum Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Thymus Serpyllum Extract, Alpinia Katsumadai Seed Extract, Glutathione, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Pentylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Squalane, Ceramide NP
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 GlycolCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride (aka MCT Oil) is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping to prevent moisture loss.
Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. One perk of this ingredient is that it is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid.
In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Just patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
This ingredient is treated as the gold standard fungal acne safe oil. Even though it is coconut derived, the problematic lauric acid is stripped out.
This leaves just caprylic (C8) and capric (C10) acid. These chain lengths actually trend antifungal; a 2020 study found caprylic acid was enough to disrupt Malassezia furfur cell membrane, with a caprylic acid derivative damaging membrane structures at concentrations as low as 0.2%.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideEthylhexylglycerin 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.
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 GlycolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
