What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningOleth-20
CleansingPEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate
EmulsifyingAlgae Extract
EmollientGlycoproteins
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
MaskingLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningUrea
BufferingSaccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningGlycine
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantBenzophenone-4
UV AbsorberAlanine
MaskingCreatine
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSaccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCitronellol
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCI 60730
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Oleth-20, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Algae Extract, Glycoproteins, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Urea, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Magnesium Aspartate, Glycine, Butylene Glycol, Benzophenone-4, Alanine, Creatine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 60730
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzophenone-4 is a water-soluble chemical sunscreen.
It protects in the UV-B range, but is considered a secondary UV absorber. This means that it needs to be paired with other sunscreen ingredients to provide effective protection.
Typically, it's used in cosmetic products to protect them from deterioration caused by UV rays. This is why you'll find it in a lot of products that aren't sunscreens.
Learn more about Benzophenone-4Butylene 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 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.
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