What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentXylitol
HumectantCaprylic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientParfum
MaskingPentasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Heptadecanoyl Dipeptide-12
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xylitol, Caprylic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Pentasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Heptadecanoyl Dipeptide-12
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPropanediol Dicaprylate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantNasturtium Officinale Extract
PerfumingMethylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningRhizobian Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantVitis Vinifera Juice Extract
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPEG-75 Stearate
SurfactantMethylpropanediol
SolventButylene Glycol
HumectantTriethanolamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeteth-20
CleansingSteareth-20
CleansingHydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lactate
BufferingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol Dicaprylate, Squalane, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vitis Vinifera Juice Extract, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, PEG-75 Stearate, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceteth-20, Steareth-20, Hydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Sodium Lactate, Polysorbate 20, Chlorphenesin
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 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about Xylitol