What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCucumis Melo Juice
SoothingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Octadecene
SolventCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGlucose
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantPhosphoric Acid
BufferingBisabolol
Masking
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantBlue 1 Lake
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
BHT
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract
Astringent
Prunus Persica Leaf Extract
Emollient
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Luffa Cylindrica Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientStearoyl Inulin
EmollientDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
TonicTea-Sorbate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Mea-Sulfite
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Synthetic Ruby
Abrasive
Malus Baccata Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Alcohol Denat., Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Isopropyl Myristate, Dipropylene Glycol, Cucumis Melo Juice, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Octadecene, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Ethoxydiglycol, Glucose, Lactic Acid, Tocopherol, Caramel, Phosphoric Acid, Bisabolol, CI 17200, Blue 1 Lake, Parfum, Tin Oxide, BHT, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Prunus Persica Leaf Extract, Stearyl Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Benzyl Benzoate, Luffa Cylindrica Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Titanium Dioxide, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Stearoyl Inulin, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Potassium Sorbate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Tea-Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Mea-Sulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Synthetic Ruby, Malus Baccata Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lysine Lauroyl Glutamate
CleansingPyrus Cydonia Seed Extract
MaskingGeranium Robertianum Extract
AstringentPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBHT
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Alcohol Denat., Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Lysine Lauroyl Glutamate, Pyrus Cydonia Seed Extract, Geranium Robertianum Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, BHT, Methylparaben
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken and improve the texture of products. Due to its properties, it can prevent water and oil ingredients from separating.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying - mostly due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue, constricting pores and leaving your skin dried out.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is if this alcohol is near the end of an ingredients list, it will probably not affect your skin much.
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTButylene 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 polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate (DHHB) is a chemical UV-A absorber. It is formulated for high UVA protection (320-400 nm).
DHHB is well-liked for:
DHHB has been approved by the EU, Japan, Taiwan, and South America for use up to 10%. Unfortunately, it has not been approved for use in the US or Canada due to slow regulatory processes.
This ingredient is soluble in oils, fats, and lipids.
Learn more about Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl BenzoateEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is an organic compound that provides UVB protection. It often goes by the more common name of octinoxate. It is created from methoxycinnamic acid and 2-ethylhexanol.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate absorbs UVB rays with wavelengths between 280-320 nm. UV absorbers protect your skin by using chemical reactions to convert UV rays into heat and energy.
UVB (290-320 nm) rays emit more energy than UVA rays. They are capable of damaging DNA, causing sunburns and are thought to be linked to skin cancer.
The state of Hawaii has banned sunscreens containing octinoxate due to its potential impact on coral reefs. More research is needed to bridge gaps in this research. The European Union allows higher levels of octinoxate in sunscreens than the US and Australia.
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is oil soluble. It is not stable and may lose efficacy when exposed to sunlight.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamateEthylhexyl Triazone is a modern chemical sunscreen that protects from UV-B radiation.
It is the most effective of existing UV-B filters, as it provides the highest level of photo-stable absorption. It protects from the entire UV-B range (280 to 320nm), with it's highest level of protection at 314nm.
Ethylhexyl Triazone is oil soluble, oderless and colorless, which mean it is able to be incorporated into a variety of different formulations.
It is not currently available within the United States due to slow changing FDA regulations. Outside of the US, it is used in formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl TriazoneMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenPropylene Glycol is an odorless, colorless liquid. As a humectant, it helps skin retain moisture. It also aids in delivering active ingredients.
Another role of this ingredient is preventing a product from melting or freezing. Propylene glycol also adds antimicrobrial properties to a product, elongating product lifespan.
This ingredient is considered an organic alcohol and commonly added into both cosmetics and foods.
Those with sensitive skin or conditions may develop a rash when using this ingredient.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
