What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Phosphate
CleansingCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCholesteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhytosteryl Isostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientOctyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Phosphate, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Cholesteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Phytosteryl Isostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Tocopherol, Methylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycol
HumectantPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantSqualane
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Glucosyl Ceramide
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan
HumectantHydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Agar
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningWater, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Squalane, Triethylhexanoin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone, Triethyl Citrate, Arginine, Glucosyl Ceramide, Alpha-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Agar, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Decylene Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene 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 GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
