What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberPropylene Glycol
HumectantIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterStearyl Dimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMethylparaben
PreservativePolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingStearoyl Inulin
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBHT
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantEthoxydiglycol
HumectantCucumis Sativus Juice
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningRosa Centifolia Flower Extract
AstringentLactic Acid
BufferingGlucose
HumectantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingPrunus Persica Leaf Extract
EmollientLuffa Cylindrica Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningPerilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
TonicTocopherol
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantWater, Alcohol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Myristate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Methylparaben, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Stearoyl Inulin, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, BHT, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethoxydiglycol, Cucumis Sativus Juice, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Lactic Acid, Glucose, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Prunus Persica Leaf Extract, Luffa Cylindrica Fruit/Leaf/Stem Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Bisabolol
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberOctocrylene
UV AbsorberButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientTri-PPG-3 Myristyl Ether Citrate
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingMagnolia Kobus Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride
EmollientWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Octocrylene, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Paraffinum Liquidum, Tri-PPG-3 Myristyl Ether Citrate, Sorbitan Laurate, Trideceth-6, Magnolia Kobus Bark Extract, Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride
Reviews
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 GlycolChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.
Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.
Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.
Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.
Learn more about Chamomilla Recutita Flower ExtractThis ingredient is also known as Octinoxate and is one of the oldest and most widely used chemical UV filters in skincare.
It has a simple job: soap up UVB radiation (290-320 nm), the wavelengths responsible for sunburn and a big chunk of long-term sun damage.
In formulas, it's always paired with a separate UVA filter because octinoxate solely protects skin from UVB.
Because it's an oil-soluble liquid, it's easy to blend into the oil phase of lotions/creams and gives a cosmetically elegant feel.
The one quirk about formulating this ingredient is photostability; the molecule slowly changes shape into a less effective version when sunlight hits it. So the longer you're in the sun, the weaker its protection gets. The drop can be more than 30% in some formulas.
It also doesn't play nice with Avobenzone (the common UVA filter) since avobenzone destabilizes octinoxate and the two degrade each other. But don't worry: brands have solved this issue by adding photostabilizers like Tinosorb S to prevent degradation and keep SPF stable under heavy UV exposure.
The maximum allowed level is 10% in the EU and Australia, 7.5% in the US and Canada, and 20% in Japan.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe in cosmetics up to 10%.
One last thing worth knowing for context:
Octinoxate has been the subject of ongoing review in Europe where the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety's (SCCS) 2025 final opinion is that this ingredient is an endocrine-active substance.
Lab and animal studies suggest it can act a bit like a hormone in the body (mildly mimicking estrogen and slightly blocking male hormones). It's important to know this hasn't really been shown to happen in everyday human use.
This ingredient is also banned in Hawaii over coral reef concerns.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl MethoxycinnamatePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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