What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
PEG-20
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate
CleansingLauryl Betaine
CleansingMethylparaben
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Glycylglycine
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metaphosphate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Oryzanol
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Crataegus Monogyna Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCitronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Sd Alcohol 40-B, PEG-20, Trehalose, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Silica, Isostearic Acid, Mica, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, CI 77891, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Lauryl Betaine, Methylparaben, Carbomer, Xylitol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Glycylglycine, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Metaphosphate, Butylene Glycol, Limonene, Sodium Metabisulfite, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Oryzanol, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Alcohol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, CI 77491, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Crataegus Monogyna Flower Extract, Citronellol, Geraniol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
C12-14 Pareth-12
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Betaine
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantTromethamine
BufferingGlycereth-25 PCA Isostearate
Emulsifying
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglycerin-3, C12-14 Pareth-12, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Tromethamine, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Tocopherol
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 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
