What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPEG-8
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeFraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycolic Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingSilanetriol
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPalmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingPotassium Citrate
BufferingLecithin
EmollientSambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingSodium Benzoate
MaskingSoy Isoflavones
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Polyacrylate, PEG-8, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Fraxinus Excelsior Bark Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Caffeine, CI 77891, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycolic Acid, Parfum, Silanetriol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminohydroxybutyrate, Polysorbate 80, Potassium Citrate, Lecithin, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Soy Isoflavones, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
EmulsifyingPetrolatum
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
MaskingCaffeine
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantFagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
TonicLecithin
EmollientCutaneous Lysate
MoisturisingTetrapeptide-21
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingDioscorea Villosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocotrienols
Skin ConditioningElaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientCapryloyl Carnosine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantBenzoic Acid
MaskingSqualene
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingIsohexadecane
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Petrolatum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Bisabolol, Caffeine, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Lecithin, Cutaneous Lysate, Tetrapeptide-21, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Citric Acid, Dioscorea Villosa Root Extract, Tocotrienols, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Capryloyl Carnosine, Tocopherol, Benzoic Acid, Squalene, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate, Phytosterols, Sodium Citrate, Isohexadecane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol
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 GlycolCaffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and is rich in antioxidants.
While caffeine is used to treat cellulite and and dark circles, further studies are needed to prove this. It has been believed to help with these skin conditions due to its ability to dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow.
Some studies are looking into caffeine's ability to protect against UV rays.
Learn more about CaffeineDisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of mixture of phospholipids.
This ingredient has emollient and emulsifying properties.
As an emollient, lecithen helps soften the skin and creates a barrier to keep moisture in.
As an emulsifier, it also helps prevent water and oil ingredients from separating. Lecithin can also help ingredients be better absorbed by the skin.
This is because the phospholipids in lecithin produce liposomes. Liposomes help other ingredients get through the skin barrier.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that feeds fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Some other names for this ingredient include soy lecithin and deoiled soy lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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