What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
Abrasive
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Limonene, Parfum, Sorbitol, Mentha Piperita Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Triethyl Citrate
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Trideceth-9
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingRosa Centifolia Leaf Cell Extract
Antioxidant
Rosa Alba Leaf Cell Extract
Antioxidant
Rosa Damascena Leaf Cell Extract
Skin ProtectingRosa Canina Fruit Extract
Astringent
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Rosa Centifolia Flower Water
Skin ConditioningCommiphora Myrrha Leaf Cell Extract
MaskingAdenium Obesum Leaf Cell Extract
MaskingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Disodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Rosa Centifolia Leaf Cell Extract, Rosa Alba Leaf Cell Extract, Rosa Damascena Leaf Cell Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Commiphora Myrrha Leaf Cell Extract, Adenium Obesum Leaf Cell Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Glycerin, Allantoin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, BHT, Sodium PCA, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, CI 17200
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 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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil is an emulsifier derived from castor oil.
As an emulsifying agent, it helps other ingredients like fragrances and fat-soluble vitamins dissolve cohesively.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't penetrate beyond the skin's surface.
This ingredient has a solid regulatory track record; the CIR Expert Panel first concluded it was safe for use in cosmetics at concentrations up to 100% in 1997. A 2012 reassessment reaffirmed that finding. Safety studies have also found no irritation or evidence of toxicity.
A 2019 study did find this ingredient to grow Malassezia, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor OilPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWe don't have a description for PPG-26-Buteth-26 yet.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
