What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Bentonite
Absorbent
Kaolin
Abrasive
Glycerin
Humectant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Illite
Abrasive
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Propylparaben
Preservative
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
PEG-60 Almond Glycerides
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingNordihydroguaiaretic Acid
Antioxidant
Oleanolic Acid
Skin ConditioningCI 42053
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Bentonite, Kaolin, Glycerin, Triethylhexanoin, Titanium Dioxide, Illite, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Alcohol, PEG-60 Almond Glycerides, Caprylyl Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ethylparaben, Carbomer, Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid, Oleanolic Acid, CI 42053, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xylitol
Humectant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tetrasodium EDTA
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Malva Sylvestris Extract
AstringentHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Saponins
CleansingLimonene
Perfuming
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Aframomum Angustifolium Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmaria Palmata Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract
Masking
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Glycolic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, CI 77891, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Phenoxyethanol, Xylitol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Malva Sylvestris Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Zea Mays Starch, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Saponins, Limonene, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Aframomum Angustifolium Seed Extract, Palmaria Palmata Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Tin Oxide, Potassium Sorbate, Tocopherol, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, CI 14700
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholButylene 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 GlycolDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
