What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Siloxanetriol Alginate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Antiseborrhoeic
Gluconobacter/Honey Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicBis-PEG-15 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Lactobacillus/Hydrolyzed Collagen Ferment Filtrate Extract
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBee Venom
Astringent
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Phytic Acid
Silver Oxide
AntimicrobialWater, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Lactobacillus/Collagen/Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Leaf Extract Ferment Lysate, Siloxanetriol Alginate, Glycerin, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Gluconobacter/Honey Ferment Filtrate, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract, Bis-PEG-15 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Lactobacillus/Hydrolyzed Collagen Ferment Filtrate Extract, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin, Polyglutamic Acid, Caffeine, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Bee Venom, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Arginine, Phytic Acid, Silver Oxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Urea
Buffering
Triethanolamine
BufferingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolyacrylate-13
Styrene
Perfuming
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPolyisobutene
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Allantoin, Urea, Triethanolamine, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, DMDM Hydantoin, Isohexadecane, Polyacrylate-13, Styrene, BHT, Disodium EDTA, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Citric Acid
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 GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerDisodium 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 EDTADMDM Hydantoin has antimicrobial and antifungal properties. It is a preservative that works by slowly releasing formaldehyde over time.
So what's formaldehyde?
DMDM Hydantoin is approved for use in cosmetics all around the world.
In the EU, this ingredient is allowed in personal products up to 0.6 percent.
You might have heard of the class-action lawsuit about it causing hair loss. According to chemists, there has not been a link found between this ingredient and hair loss.
The Hydantoin part of this ingredient is created by reacting glycolic acid and urea.
You can check out alternatives to Dmdm Hydantoin:
phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, and sodium benzoate.
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 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.
Triethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
