What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-47
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-47, Soluble Collagen, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Butylene Glycol, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3
HumectantPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-8
HumectantSodium Lactate
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingIsopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-3, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Acacia Senegal Gum, Carbomer, PEG-8, Sodium Lactate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Triethanolamine, Isopropyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methylpropanediol, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPalmitoyl Oligopeptide is a form of peptide. It is created by blending peptides with palmitic acid. Peptides are building blocks for protein.
This ingredients tells our body to create more collagen. Collagen is a protein that makes connective tissue. Boosting collagen production leads to a healthier skin barrier. Having a healthy skin barrier means having firm and hydrated skin.
Read more about other common types of peptides here:
Learn more about Palmitoyl OligopeptidePalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (formerly Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3) is a synthetic peptide. Its main job is to fight what researchers call "inflammaging".
"Inflammaging" is the slow, low-grade chronic inflammation that quietly breaks down collagen as we age.
This ingredient calms down a specific inflammation signal in your skin cells (called IL-6). When left unchecked, this signal triggers enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.
Clinical testing showed statistically significant improvements in:
Studies also found the more of this ingredient used, the more your skin produces Collagen I, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.
You'll likely see this ingredient paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.
A 3% concentration applied twice daily for two months showed meaningful skin rejuvenation results in clinical panels.
Fungal acne note:
Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 20Sodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateWater. 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
