What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientSodium Stearate
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Aqua
HumectantCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Nylon-12
Sodium Sulfate
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sodium Stearate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Maris Aqua, Caffeine, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Nylon-12, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Stearate
CleansingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Xylitol
Humectant
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-8
HumectantBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Potassium Alginate
Emulsion StabilisingMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Actinidia Arguta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSea Water
HumectantBambusa Vulgaris Shoot Extract
Antioxidant
Bambusa Vulgaris Sap Extract
EmollientParfum
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-20
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCaprylhydroxamic Acid
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Alcohol, Xylitol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Glycerin, PEG-8, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Niacinamide, Sodium Citrate, Dimethicone, Potassium Alginate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Actinidia Arguta Fruit Extract, Sea Water, Bambusa Vulgaris Shoot Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Sap Extract, Parfum, Adenosine, Steareth-20, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 42090, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Potassium Sorbate, Chrysin, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Tropolone
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane belongs to the siloxanes and silicones classes. It is synthetically created and has a waxy composition.
This ingredient is a humectant and emollient, meaning it helps hydrate the skin. Humectants draw moisture to your skin, while emollients prevent moisture from escaping.
Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPotassium 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 stearate is the sodium salt of stearic acid.
The structure of sodium stearate makes it both a cleanser and emulsifier. As a cleanser, it helps dissolve dirt, oil, and other pollutants. As an emulsifier, it helps prevent ingredients from separating. This adds stability to the formula.
Water. 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
