What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientLaureth-7
EmulsifyingPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-5
HumectantDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHyaluronic Acid
HumectantFructan
Skin ConditioningCynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
CleansingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingGlucose
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBisabolol
AntioxidantCholesterol
EmollientAlcohol
AntimicrobialHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-5
Skin ConditioningCI 16255
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Poria Cocos Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Dipeptide-2, Phenoxyethanol, Hyaluronic Acid, Fructan, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Phenethyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Glucose, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Bisabolol, Cholesterol, Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oligopeptide-5, CI 16255, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientSqualane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCetearyl Stearate
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningCyclodextrin
AbsorbentCollagen
MoisturisingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningEscin
TonicGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingTrehalose
HumectantPropanediol
SolventPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCentella Asiatica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningArginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Squalane, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cetearyl Stearate, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Cyclodextrin, Collagen, Allantoin, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Cetyl Alcohol, Beta-Glucan, Escin, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Polysorbate 20, Trehalose, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
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 GlycolCaffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeinePhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum