What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Silk
Humectant
Algae Extract
EmollientMel Extract
MoisturisingSaccharomyces/Iron Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Eriodictyon Crassifolium Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Opuntia Tuna Flower/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Trehalose
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Triacetin
AntimicrobialPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Potassium Benzoate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Hydrolyzed Silk, Algae Extract, Mel Extract, Saccharomyces/Iron Ferment, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Silicon Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Eriodictyon Crassifolium Leaf Extract, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Opuntia Tuna Flower/Stem Extract, Urea, Trehalose, Sorbitol, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Propylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Triacetin, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Isododecane
EmollientDimethiconol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Cetearyl Olivate
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitol
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingProline
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isododecane, Dimethiconol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Lactate, Cetearyl Olivate, Bisabolol, Chlorphenesin, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium PCA, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitol, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Proline, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate
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 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 GlycerinPropylene 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 GlycolSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCASorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolWater. 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
