What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Camellia Seed Oil
Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Dimethyl Glutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-64
Steartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Dicocodimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
PEG-20 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Water, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Silk, Betaine, Sodium PCA, Dimethyl Glutamic Acid, Polyquaternium-64, Steartrimonium Chloride, Dicocodimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, PEG-20 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Isopropyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Steartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Alcohol, Glycerin, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Trehalose, Hydrolyzed Silk, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Arginine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Steartrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinYou can find hydrolyzed silk in both haircare and skincare products. According to a manufacturer, it can help improve skin and hair hydration.
This ingredient is created by adding acid or enzymes to 'hydrolyze' silk protein.
Due to the origins of this ingredient, it is not vegan. Silk is an animal product from silkworms.
Depending on the source, this ingredient can be considered cruelty-free. It is created from left-over cocoons of silkworms. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about where their hydrolyzed silk comes from.
Learn more about Hydrolyzed SilkPeg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilSteartrimonium Chloride is a preservative.
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 Water
