What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingArbutin
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingTranexamic Acid
AstringentButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientVinyldimethicone
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantBisabolol
AntioxidantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Dextrin
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Niacinamide, Arbutin, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Tranexamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Vinyldimethicone, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Bisabolol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Dextrin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Carbomer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tromethamine
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPalmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
AntioxidantPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Bisabolol, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButylene 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateGlyceryl Stearate Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate CitratePolyglyceryl-3 Distearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Sodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Water. 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