What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMyristic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Distearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientParfum
MaskingPEG-14m
Emulsion StabilisingLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingGlycolic Acid
BufferingPancratium Maritimum Extract
BleachingSalicylic Acid
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLimonene
PerfumingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingTetrasodium EDTA
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Tourmaline
Citronellol
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingButylene Glycol
HumectantBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Glyceryl Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, PEG-14m, Linalool, Geraniol, Glycolic Acid, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Salicylic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Tourmaline, Citronellol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Butylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Cocoyl Glycinate
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Sodium Lauroamphoacetate
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCystine
MaskingGlycine
BufferingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantBetaine
HumectantSodium PCA
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningLauramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCoconut Acid
CleansingSodium Carbonate
BufferingPolyquaternium-6
Citric Acid
BufferingPEG-150 Distearate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Benzophenone-4
UV AbsorberBHT
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCholesterol
EmollientWater, Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Sodium Chloride, Decyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Cystine, Glycine, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Phytosphingosine, Lauramidopropyl Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Coconut Acid, Sodium Carbonate, Polyquaternium-6, Citric Acid, PEG-150 Distearate, Stearic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Benzophenone-4, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitan Laurate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Cholesterol
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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTetrasodium EDTA is the salt formed from neutralizing ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid with sodium hydroxide. It is a chelating agent and used to prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps keep the product and ingredients stable.
Tetrasodium EDTA comes as a white solid and is soluble in water.
Water. 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