What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingMannose
HumectantMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Sphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Manganese Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicyloyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Betaine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Isopropyl Myristate, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Mannose, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Madecassoside, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Citric Acid, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Sodium Benzoate, Maltodextrin, Zinc Gluconate, Manganese Gluconate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ectoin, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Lactobacillus, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Bisabolol
Water
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Pullulan
Dextran
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Hyaluronic Acid, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-76, Bisabolol, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Squalane, Pullulan, Dextran, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerBisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButylene 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 AcidDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 HydroxideWater. 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
