What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Erythritol
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Artemisia Absinthium Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate
Cleansing
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Palm Oil
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
PEG-20 Glyceryl Isostearate
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
PEG-14
HumectantPEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Stearate
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Batyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingPEG-Crosspolymer
2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropane Sulfonic Acid
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tranexamic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Yeast Extract, Trehalose, Xylitol, Erythritol, Petrolatum, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Artemisia Absinthium Extract, Glycerin, Water, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Isostearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-14, PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether, PEG-8 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Batyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Metaphosphate, PEG-Crosspolymer, 2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingPetrolatum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Glycosyl Trehalose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Theanine
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Threonine
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningDisodium Phosphate
BufferingHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Petrolatum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, PEG-40 Stearate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexahydroxystearate/Hexastearate/Hexarosinate, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Arginine, Ectoin, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Glycosyl Trehalose, Glycine, Serine, Theanine, Tocopherol, Threonine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyaspartate, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Citric Acid, Squalane, Ceramide Ng, Sorbitan Palmitate, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Disodium Phosphate, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl 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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum may not be safe for fungal-acne. Studies show mineral oil / petroleum leads to the growth of M. Furfur, a type of yeast.
However, it’s worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Fungal acne isn’t about comedogenic ratings. It’s more about whether certain ingredients can feed the yeast on your skin, which can trigger those breakouts.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol 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.
We don't have a description for Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate yet.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
