What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Maltitol
HumectantGlycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Citrus Junos Peel Oil
Astringent
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil
Masking
Thymus Vulgaris Oil
Masking
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Maltitol, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Citrus Junos Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Origanum Majorana Leaf Oil, Thymus Vulgaris Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Myristyl 3-Glyceryl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Ascorbylmethylcarbonyl Pentapeptide-72 Tri-T-Butyl Tryptophanamide
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Glycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Arachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Myristyl 3-Glyceryl Ascorbate, Ascorbylmethylcarbonyl Pentapeptide-72 Tri-T-Butyl Tryptophanamide, Bakuchiol, Retinyl Palmitate, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Glycosyl Trehalose, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Glyceryl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, 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.
Ascorbyl Glucoside is a stable form of Vitamin C. It is created by combining glucose from starch.
When applied to skin, Ascorbyl Glucoside turns into Ascorbic Acid.
Ascorbyl Glucoside is an antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals, or molecules that may damage skin cells.
It can help to reduce redness, improve skin texture, reduce the effects of aging, reduce the visibility of dark spots, and brighten skin.
Read more about other types of Vitamin C:
Learn more about Ascorbyl GlucosideButylene 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 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Glycosyl Trehalose yet.
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate is a made up of a mixture of sugar alcohols (like sorbitol) and is created by hydrogenating corn, wheat, or potato starch.
It acts as a humectant and draws water to the skin to keep it hydrated. Generally, this is a well-tolerated and non-irritating ingredient.
Methylparaben 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 MethylparabenPeg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is derived from castor oil and polyethylene glycol (PEG). It is used as a emollient and emulsifier.
As an emulsifier, it helps prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps make the other ingredients more soluble; it is often used to solubilize fragrances. This increases spreadability and elongates shelf life in a product.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
This ingredient may or may not be vegan, depending on the source.
Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil may not be fungal-acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any questions or concerns.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
