What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Actinidia Chinensis Seed
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Denatonium Benzoate
Masking
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract
AstringentCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAcer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingMangifera Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Oil, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Mangifera Indica Fruit Extract, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, 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.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbatePropylene 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 Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium 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
