What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Menthol
Masking
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Salicylic Acid, Water, Alcohol Denat., Propanediol, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Capryloyl Glycine, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Menthol, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Butylene Glycol, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Diglycerin
Humectant
PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPotassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingLactobacillus/Rice Ferment
Skin Conditioning
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Erythritol
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Isostearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Diglycerin, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Erythritol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Isostearyl Alcohol, Isostearic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Linalool, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 17200, CI 19140
Reviews
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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
