What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Polysilicone-11
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Boron Nitride
Absorbent
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenylethyl Resorcinol
Antioxidant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientVitis Vinifera Flower Cell Extract
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sucrose Palmitate
EmollientSea Water
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sclareolide
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingDiethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate
Skin ProtectingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Serine
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Plankton Extract
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Alteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPullulan
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingAlgin
Masking
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Porphyridium Cruentum Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingSigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Polysilicone-11, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Boron Nitride, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Phenoxyethanol, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Caffeine, Isohexadecane, Vitis Vinifera Flower Cell Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Trehalose, Urea, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Sucrose Palmitate, Sea Water, Caprylyl Glycol, Sclareolide, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 60, Silica, Serine, Lecithin, Sucrose, Plankton Extract, Propanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Chloride, Pullulan, Disodium Phosphate, Algin, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Potassium Phosphate, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ubiquinone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bisabolol, Sodium Lactate, Coco-Glucoside, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Citric Acid, Sodium Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
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 GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 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 the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
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. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
