What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientEthoxydiglycol
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentCaffeine
Skin ConditioningMenthol
MaskingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingCarnitine
CleansingEscin
TonicR-Clostridium Histolyticum Collagenase H
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlaucine
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSqualane
EmollientMethyl Nicotinate
SoothingTocopherol
AntioxidantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCalcium Chloride
AstringentIsostearyl Isostearate
EmollientPEG-8 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Dioleate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tris-Hydroxymethylnitromethane
AntimicrobialAlcohol
AntimicrobialCoco-Glucoside
CleansingSqualene
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeTropolone
Skin ConditioningBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Caffeine, Menthol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phosphatidylcholine, Carnitine, Escin, R-Clostridium Histolyticum Collagenase H, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glaucine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polysorbate 20, Squalane, Methyl Nicotinate, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Calcium Chloride, Isostearyl Isostearate, PEG-8 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Polyglyceryl-3 Dioleate, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Tris-Hydroxymethylnitromethane, Alcohol, Coco-Glucoside, Squalene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Potassium Sorbate, Tropolone, Beta-Sitosterol
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingMica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPolysorbate 40
EmulsifyingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantNylon-12
Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Silica
AbrasiveBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialLinalool
PerfumingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCI 15510
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasiveCI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Parfum, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 40, CI 77891, Nylon-12, Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Silica, Benzyl Benzoate, Linalool, CI 77491, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, CI 15510, CI 15985, Tin Oxide, CI 16035, CI 42090, Ascorbic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Alternatives
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPotassium 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 SorbateThis ingredient is also known as sweet almond oil. It is a lightweight, cold-pressed oil from the ripe seeds of the sweet almond tree.
Sweet almond oil is rich in skin-nourishing fatty acids such as oleic acid (55-86%) and linolenic acid (7-35%).
As an emollient, it softens and hydrates skin by forming a thin barrier that locks in moisture.
Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing. The CIR Expert Panel has evaluated the available safety data and concluded it is safe for topical use.
Because of the oleic acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis OilSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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