What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Polyvinyl Acetate
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
Preservative
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingArginine
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSimethicone
Emollient
Trisodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicHexapeptide-2
Bleaching
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Niacinamide, Alcohol Denat., PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Copper Tripeptide-1, Glycerin, Biotin, Hexapeptide-2, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, CI 16035
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 CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 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.
Water. 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
