What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Hordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingErgothioneine
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningSantalum Album Extract
CleansingPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningArabidopsis Thaliana Extract
Antioxidant
Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propanediol, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Ergothioneine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Santalum Album Extract, Plankton Extract, Arabidopsis Thaliana Extract, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Lecithin, Micrococcus Lysate, Butylene Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningMethyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tussilago Farfara Flower Extract
AstringentAcetyl Glutamine
Skin ConditioningSwertia Chirata Leaf Extract
AstringentRosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSilybum Marianum Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-11
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Skin ConditioningMentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycosaminoglycans
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Helichrysum Italicum Flower Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
Skin ConditioningHylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Coconut Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Aroma
Trisodium EDTA
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Lysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Pullulan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Water, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Ferulic Acid, Retinol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Lactic Acid, Tussilago Farfara Flower Extract, Acetyl Glutamine, Swertia Chirata Leaf Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Silybum Marianum Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-11, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sodium Hyaluronate, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Glycosaminoglycans, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Helichrysum Italicum Flower Oil, Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Adenosine Triphosphate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Coconut Acid, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Glyceryl Linoleate, Maltodextrin, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Polysorbate 20, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, Silica, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Levulinate, Glycine Soja Oil, Sucrose Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trideceth-6, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Aroma, Trisodium EDTA, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Learn more about LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
