What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantTripropylene Glycol
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Octyldodeceth-16
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Sodium Dna
Skin Conditioning
Tetrapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Tripropylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycereth-26, Niacinamide, Gluconolactone, Glycolic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Octyldodeceth-16, Ceramide NP, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Sodium Dna, Tetrapeptide-1
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantSalicylic Acid
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid
Antioxidant
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides
Emulsifying
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientGlycereth-26
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Trehalose, Panthenol, Glycerin, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Sodium Metabisulfite, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Methyl Gluceth-20, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glycereth-26, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycereth-26 is a synthetic ingredient and polyethylene glycol ether of Glycerin. Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin and helps keep your skin moisturized.
It is a humectant and helps add texture to products. It can make your product thicker.
As a humectant, it helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This helps your skin stay hydrated.
Learn more about Glycereth-26Glycerin (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 GlycolWater. 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
