What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolysilicone-11
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSteareth-21
CleansingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Glycerin
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Bisabolol
AntioxidantLaureth-12
EmulsifyingMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSaccharomyces Lysate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
AntioxidantDisodium Succinate
MaskingThreonine
Glycine
BufferingValine
MaskingGlutamic Acid
HumectantPropanediol
SolventHydrolyzed Collagen
EmollientCamellia Japonica Flower Extract
EmollientPseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Salicylate
PreservativeSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetyl Acetate
EmollientWater, Polysilicone-11, Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Dimethicone, Steareth-21, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Laureth-12, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Saccharomyces Lysate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Disodium Succinate, Threonine, Glycine, Valine, Glutamic Acid, Propanediol, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Pseudoalteromonas Exopolysaccharides, Citric Acid, Sodium Salicylate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Acetate
Cyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
EmollientLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantBisabolol
AntioxidantZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantBoerhavia Diffusa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycerin
HumectantAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveStearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientSafflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantWater
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Butylene Glycol, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Safflower Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Water
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololButylene 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 GlycolCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinWe don't have a description for Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid yet.
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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