What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Avena Sativa Straw Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Avena Sativa Straw Extract, Sodium PCA, Polyacrylamide, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Dimethicone, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Ursolic Acid
MaskingAminobutyric Acid
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sucrose Distearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Trehalose, Saccharide Isomerate, Ursolic Acid, Aminobutyric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Allantoin, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Madecassoside, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Stearate, Sucrose Distearate, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
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 GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Glycerin (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 PhenoxyethanolTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
