What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pearl Extract
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract
EmollientRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Ethyl Hexanediol
Solvent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Pearl Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Alcohol, Ethyl Hexanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Trehalose
Humectant
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Gold
Cosmetic ColorantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aroma
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholButylene 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 high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAThis extract comes from the Cabbage Palm, AKA the Açaà berry! It has skin soothing and antioxidant properties.
Acai berries are rich in antioxidants, including ferulic acid (The famous vitamin C stabilizer). Antioxidants protect your skin against damaging free-radical molecules.
You can also find carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, minerals, vitamin A, and Vitamin C in these berries.
Learn more about Euterpe Oleracea Fruit ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 80 is a surfactant and emulsifier. It is used to keep ingredients together, and prevent oils and waters from separating.
It is made from polyethoxylated sorbitan and oleic acid. This ingredient can be found in cosmetics, foods, and medicine. It is water-soluble.
Polysorbate 80 may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 80Triethanolamine (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 TriethanolamineThis extract comes from the blueberry native to North America. It has great antioxidant and skin soothing properties.
The antioxidant properties from blueberries come from its polyphenolic and vitamin C content. Polyphenols are a compound famous for their antioxidant properties and are commonly found in fruits.
A 2023 study found blueberries to protect skin from UV-B related inflammation. However, this ingredient should not replace your sunscreen.
Learn more about Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit ExtractWater. 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
