What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTribehenin
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Steareth-20
CleansingHesperidin Methyl Chalcone
Antioxidant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
PEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Dipeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningSodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Tribehenin, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Steareth-20, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Ceramide Ng, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Glycine Soja Protein, Sodium Benzoate, Superoxide Dismutase, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Dipeptide-2, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Chrysin, Carbomer, Potassium Sorbate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Polysorbate 20, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Gallyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSilanetriol
Arginine
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningPropyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Dipropylene Glycol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Myristoyl Nonapeptide-3, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Caffeine, Epigallocatechin Gallatyl Glucoside, Gallyl Glucoside, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Silanetriol, Arginine, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Propyl Gallate, Maltodextrin, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholButylene 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 GlycolDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
