What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantNiacinamide
Smoothing1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningDiethoxyethyl Succinate
SolventCitrus Unshiu Peel Extract
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingArginine
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrehalose
HumectantBetaine
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Tocopheryl Phosphate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine
BufferingPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGlutamic Acid
HumectantAspartic Acid
MaskingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicSilica
AbrasiveSodium Chloride
MaskingHinokitiol
Histidine
HumectantSerine
MaskingProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Alanine
MaskingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Chloride
Calcium Chloride
AstringentParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Arginine, Panthenol, Carbomer, Trehalose, Betaine, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Tocopheryl Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Glycine, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Biotin, Silica, Sodium Chloride, Hinokitiol, Histidine, Serine, Proline, Threonine, Alanine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Magnesium Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Parfum
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 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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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 ParfumWater. 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