What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialStearic Acid
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Stearate
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract, Sorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Tetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Cutaneous Lysate
MoisturisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Capryloyl Carnosine
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Tetrapeptide-21, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate, Cutaneous Lysate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-8, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Capryloyl Carnosine, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium 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
