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 ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Corn Gluten Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyglutamate
HumectantHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Oligopeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Collagen
Moisturising
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Yeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSilk Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sophora Flavescens Root Extract
Antioxidant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Corn Gluten Amino Acids, Sodium Polyglutamate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinol, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2, Oligopeptide-5, Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Adenosine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Yeast Ferment Extract, Silk Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Chrysanthemum Indicum Flower Extract, Sophora Flavescens Root Extract, Beta-Glucan, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyacetophenone, 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 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 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.
This extract comes from Purslane, a succulent. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hydrating properties.
Purslane is very nutritious. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, NMFs, many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The vitamins found in purslane include: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.
Fun fact: Purslane is a succulent with an extensive habitat. It is used in traditional Korean medicine to treat irritated skin.
Nowadays, purslane is becoming a superfood due to its highly nutritious content.
Learn more about Portulaca Oleracea ExtractPropylene 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 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 HydroxideWe don't have a description for Sodium Polyglutamate yet.
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
