What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate
EmollientPolyacrylamide
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Algae Extract
EmollientVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Butylparaben
Masking
Propylparaben
Preservative
Isobutylparaben
Antimicrobial
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMalonic Acid
BufferingMalachite
Skin ConditioningZinc Carbonate
Silica
Abrasive
Talc
Abrasive
Alumina
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, C13-15 Alkane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Dimethicone, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate, Polyacrylamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Dimethicone, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Laureth-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Algae Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Malonic Acid, Malachite, Zinc Carbonate, Silica, Talc, Alumina, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 42090
Sd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Water
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantLactic Acid
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantIngredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ci 42090 is a synthetic dye created from petroleum. It is used to give a bright blue color to cosmetics, medicine, and food.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract is an extract of the roots of Licorice. It has been found to have several benefits such as skin hydrating, conditioning, and soothing.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Learn more about Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
