What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantMyristyl Nicotinate
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientPullulan
Maris Aqua
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDextrin
AbsorbentPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningNicotiana Benthamiana Octapeptide-30 Sh-Oligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningDipeptide-2
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantHydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract
Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract
HumectantPerilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract
Tonic1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Bacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasivePolymethyl Methacrylate
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientSteareth-20
CleansingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMica
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSodium Citrate
BufferingBenzoic Acid
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Myristyl Nicotinate, Dimethicone, Pullulan, Maris Aqua, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dextrin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Nicotiana Benthamiana Octapeptide-30 Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Dipeptide-2, Caffeine, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Nannochloropsis Oculata Extract, Perilla Ocymoides Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phospholipids, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Bacillus Ferment, Silica, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Steareth-20, Adenosine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Hesperidin Methyl Chalcone, Butylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Mica, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Citrate, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Hydroxide, CI 77891
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 GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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 Water