What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSuccinic Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Squalane, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Citrate, Succinic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone
Water
Skin ConditioningBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDiphenyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Glycereth-26, Panthenol, Ectoin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diphenyl Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Disodium EDTA, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePolyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
It rounds up dirt, oil, and grime, so they can be rinsed off easily as a cleanser.
On the emulsifier side, it keeps your formula smooth and well-mixed by playing peacekeeper for ingredients that don't naturally get along (like oil and water).
Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.
This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-10 LaurateSodium Citrate is the sodium salts of citric acid. In skincare, it is used to alter pH levels and acts as a preservative.
Its main functions are to maintain the pH of a product and neutralize metal ions.
The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome; normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5).
Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Learn more about Sodium CitrateWater. 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
