What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Medicago Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Chloride
Sodium Citrate
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Lespedeza Capitata Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Rhizobian Gum
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingCoenochloris Signiensis Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Maltodextrin, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Lespedeza Capitata Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitol, Urea, Rhizobian Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Padina Pavonica Thallus Extract, Chlorphenesin, Plankton Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Sodium Chloride, Coenochloris Signiensis Extract, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Allantoin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
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 EDTAGlycerin (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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolChances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideWater. 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
