What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Corn Gluten Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Water, Butylene Glycol, Corn Gluten Amino Acids, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Salicylic Acid, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Sodium Polyglutamate, Dipropylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide 5%
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Corn Gluten Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Collagen
Moisturising
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Aspalathus Linearis Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPicrorhiza Kurrooa Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Extract
AntimicrobialPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide 5%, Butylene Glycol, Corn Gluten Amino Acids, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Oligopeptide-5, Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Sodium Hyaluronate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Picrorhiza Kurrooa Rhizome/Root Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Beta-Glucan, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Hexylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 GlycolWe don't have a description for Corn Gluten Amino Acids yet.
Glycerin (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 GlycolPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
