What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Palmitate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantPalmitic Acid
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantDimethicone
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentPEG-75 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeteth-20
CleansingTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSteareth-20
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Myristic Acid
CleansingBetaine
HumectantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingGlucose
HumectantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingSanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract
CleansingCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
MaskingThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingZinc Sulfate
AntimicrobialLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentBetula Alba Leaf Extract
AstringentCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCinnamal
PerfumingPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitol, CI 77163, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, PEG-75 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Ceteth-20, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Steareth-20, Disodium EDTA, Myristic Acid, Betaine, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Glucose, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc Sulfate, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Betula Alba Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Cinnamal, Pyridoxine Hcl
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Isononanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycereth-26
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientBisabolol
MaskingPEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBorago Officinalis Seed Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientWater, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Glycereth-26, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Polyisobutene, Caprylyl Glycol, Bisabolol, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create a gel consistency.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Glycerin 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.
Retinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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