What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Maltitol
HumectantPyrus Cydonia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytol
Emollient
Isomalt
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Isostearate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Maltitol, Pyrus Cydonia Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Linoleate, Jojoba Esters, Squalane, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Tocopherol, Phytol, Isomalt, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide AP, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Lactic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Maltodextrin, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Florentina Root Extract
MaskingCystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningAkebia Quinata Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Iris Florentina Root Extract, Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract, Akebia Quinata Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 80, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
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 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 AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
