What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHuman Neonatal Fibroblast Conditioned Media
Skin ConditioningGlycereth-7 Triacetate
EmollientShea Butter Ethyl Esters
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantEthoxydiglycol
HumectantLactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin ConditioningWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantDimer Tripeptide-43
Vitis Vinifera Flower Cell Extract
MaskingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPropanediol
SolventXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientPullulan
Butylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Pentylene Glycol, Human Neonatal Fibroblast Conditioned Media, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Whey Protein, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Saccharide Isomerate, Dimer Tripeptide-43, Vitis Vinifera Flower Cell Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Hydroxyacetophenone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Propanediol, Xanthan Gum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Sclerotium Gum, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Lecithin, Pullulan, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Polysorbate 20, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Squalane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantSucrose Laurate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventSucrose Stearate
EmollientCopper Tripeptide-1 Palmitamide
AntioxidantGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningHydroxymethoxyphenyl Propylmethylmethoxybenzofuran
Skin ConditioningVetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract
PerfumingAphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract
HumectantHydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSqualane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Water, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Sucrose Laurate, Propanediol, Sucrose Stearate, Copper Tripeptide-1 Palmitamide, Glycolipids, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Propylmethylmethoxybenzofuran, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Extract, Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Bisabolol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Maltodextrin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 PhenoxyethanolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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