What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Myristate
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPotassium Methoxysalicylate
BleachingMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Stearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethylacrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer
Polysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
MaskingSorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingTrisodium EDTA
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingOryzanol
Skin Conditioning2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantSilica
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingLimonene
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingPEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningAluminum Hydroxide
EmollientBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantLinalool
PerfumingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCitronellol
PerfumingCrataegus Monogyna Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Myristyl Myristate, Petrolatum, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Potassium Methoxysalicylate, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethylacrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, Polysorbate 60, PEG-40 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Parfum, Sorbitan Tristearate, Trisodium EDTA, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Sodium Citrate, Oryzanol, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Mica, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Metaphosphate, Limonene, Citric Acid, PEG/PPG-14/7 Dimethyl Ether, Aluminum Hydroxide, Benzyl Benzoate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, CI 77491, Linalool, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citronellol, Crataegus Monogyna Flower Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingHydrogenated Palm Oil
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingAlcohol
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Hydroxide
BufferingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantAesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSasa Veitchii Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientRoyal Jelly Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Squalane, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Carbomer, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sasa Veitchii Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Royal Jelly Extract, Citric Acid
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is usually an astringent alcohol.
These alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Fatty alcohols come from plant oils such as coconut oil. These can help hydrate the skin and are non-irritating. Some fatty alcohols include cetyl and stearyl alcohol.
Learn more about 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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Like hyaluronic acid, it is great at holding water and acts as a humectant. This makes it a great skin hydrating ingredient.
Sodium Hyaluronate is naturally occurring in our bodies and is mostly found in eye fluid and joints.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water