What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide 3%
Smoothing
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate 2%
Antioxidant
Trifolium Pratense Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ferulic Acid 1%
Antimicrobial
Resveratrol 0.5%
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingTrifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Rna
Skin ConditioningSodium Lactate
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lidocaine Hcl
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylic Acid/Ma Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Dextran
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Tetrasodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalene
Emollient
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Niacinamide 3%, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate 2%, Trifolium Pratense Extract, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Ferulic Acid 1%, Resveratrol 0.5%, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Betaine, Sodium Rna, Sodium Lactate, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lidocaine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Sodium Acrylic Acid/Ma Copolymer, Lecithin, Dextran, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Tocopherol, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Glyceryl Linolenate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
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 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 GlycerinGlycine is the smallest amino acid and a key building block of collagen. It's part if your skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor (NMF), or the water-loving molecules in your outermost layer of skin (stratum corneum) that keeps everything hydrated and happy.
A study from 2022 found that an amino acid complex featuring taurine, arginine, and glycine significantly reduced skin irritation, improved redness, and accelerated the skin repair process.
Phenoxyethanol 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 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
