What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate
CleansingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates Copolymer
Lauryl Hydroxysultaine
CleansingDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicornia Herbacea Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate, Lauryl Glucoside, Acrylates Copolymer, Lauryl Hydroxysultaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Prunus Serrulata Flower Extract, Salicornia Herbacea Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingLauric Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Algae Extract
EmollientPaeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-7
Tetrasodium EDTA
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Behenic Acid, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Palmitic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Lauric Acid, Stearic Acid, Algae Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Butylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sucrose, Xanthan Gum, Polyquaternium-7, Tetrasodium EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Benzyl Salicylate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Benzoate
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 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 Water
