What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantPropanediol
SolventHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
EmollientArnica Montana Flower Extract
MaskingCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningFraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningAgastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSilanetriol
Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Agastache Mexicana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Maltodextrin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Silanetriol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantPolysilicone-11
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Butylene Glycol
HumectantPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Ethyl Linoleate
EmollientLauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin ConditioningBidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantBakuchiol
AntimicrobialHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantMicrocitrus Australasica Fruit Extract
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Chebula Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Extract
Skin ConditioningElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Polyacrylamide
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Water, Dimethicone, Propanediol, Glycerin, Polysilicone-11, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Butylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Ethyl Linoleate, Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Retinol, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Bakuchiol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Terminalia Chebula Fruit Extract, Glycine Soja Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Adenosine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, PEG-12 Dimethicone, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylyl Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Laureth-7, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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