What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Methicone
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingDiglycerin
Humectant
PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Glycerylamidoethyl Methacrylate/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
HumectantDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantAscorbyl Glucoside, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Methicone, Triethylhexanoin, Diglycerin, PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Pear Juice Ferment Filtrate, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hcl, Centella Asiatica Extract, Disodium EDTA, Glycerylamidoethyl Methacrylate/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Caramel
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene Phosphonate
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTriethylhexanoin
MaskingSodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-20 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-5 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Methyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Arbutin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentylene Glycol, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentasodium Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene Phosphonate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Triethylhexanoin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Behenyl Alcohol, PEG-20 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-5 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Methyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 HydroxideTocopherol 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 TocopherolTriethylhexanoin is created from glycerin and 2-ethylhexanoic acid. It is a solvent and emollient.
As a solvent, Triethylhexanoin helps dissolve ingredients to stable bases or help evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product.
It is also an emollient and helps condition the skin.
Learn more about TriethylhexanoinWater. 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
