What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Polyisobutene
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
CI 15850
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantPolyisobutene, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Octyldodecanol, Cera Microcristallina, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylyl Glycol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Glyceryl Behenate, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 15850, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningPhenyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Trimethyl Pentaphenyl Trisiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Propionic Acid
Preservative
Polyisobutene
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitol
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Ethylcellulose
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Octyldecanol
Emollient
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Oxidized Corn Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tremella Fuciformis Fruiting Body Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cymbidium Grandiflorum Root Extract
HumectantThamnolia Vermicularis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSparassis Crispa Extract
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
CI 16255
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 45410
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Phenyl Dimethicone, Octyldodecanol, Trimethyl Pentaphenyl Trisiloxane, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Propionic Acid, Polyisobutene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitol, Sucrose, Ethylcellulose, Hydroxyacetophenone, Octyldecanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Oxidized Corn Oil, Bisabolol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Tremella Fuciformis Fruiting Body Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cymbidium Grandiflorum Root Extract, Thamnolia Vermicularis Leaf Extract, Sparassis Crispa Extract, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Sodium Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, CI 16255, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 45410, CI 17200, CI 42090
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Octyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Phenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolPolyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.
It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.
Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.
Learn more about PolyisobuteneSodium 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 Hyaluronate
