What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Lauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPEG-12 Laurate
Emulsifying
Secale Cereale Seed Extract
Abrasive
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tetrasodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Avena Sativa Seed Water
Solvent
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal
Abrasive
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Kaolin
Abrasive
Sodium Chloride
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hectorite
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cellulose
Absorbent
Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate
Cleansing
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Behenate/Eicosadioate
EmulsifyingPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Triticum Aestivum Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Max Polypeptide
Skin Conditioning
Tripropylene Glycol
Antioxidant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Glycerin, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Avena Sativa Seed Water, Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Meal, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Zea Mays Starch, Kaolin, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Hectorite, Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol Denat., Cellulose, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Behenate/Eicosadioate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polyglyceryl-10 Behenate/Eicosadioate, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Squalane, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Dipropylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa Starch, Avena Sativa Peptide, Triticum Aestivum Peptide, Glycine Max Polypeptide, Tripropylene Glycol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Sodium Dna, Beta-Glucan, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
