What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Glycereth-7 Triacetate
EmollientAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Glycereth-18 Ethylhexanoate
Skin ConditioningDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDipropylene Glycol
HumectantTranexamic Acid
Astringent
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Myristyl Nicotinate
Skin ConditioningCitrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Spiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentHydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone
Skin ConditioningAsiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycereth-18
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCalcium Gluconate
HumectantT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Limonene
Perfuming
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingDenatonium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Pentylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Azelaic Acid, Glycereth-7 Triacetate, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 20, Glycereth-18 Ethylhexanoate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Dipropylene Glycol, Tranexamic Acid, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Gluconolactone, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Myristyl Nicotinate, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Hydroxymethoxyphenyl Decanone, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Adenosine, Asiaticoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycereth-18, Ethylhexylglycerin, Calcium Gluconate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Limonene, Sodium Carbonate, Denatonium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
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 GlycolDimethyl Isosorbide is a low-irritation solvent that helps deliver actives into your skin. It is created from glucose.
Research shows how well this ingredient works depends on the active and formulation rather than the concentration alone. This means adding more Dimethyl Isosorbide does not guarantee better penetration of ingredients into the skin.
Gluconolactone is a PHA. PHAs are a great gentle alternative to traditional AHAs.
When applied, Gluconolactone has the same affect on skin as AHAs such as lactic acid. It helps dissolve the dead skin cells in the top layer of your skin. This improves texture and brightens the skin.
PHAs are more gentle than AHAs due to their larger structure. They do not penetrate as deeply as AHAs and take a longer time to dissolve dead cells. Studies show PHAs do not cause as much irritation.
Gluconolactone has some interesting properties:
In a 2004 study, Gluconolactone was found to prevent UV damage in mouse skin cells and has not been found to increase sun sensitivity. However, we still recommend wearing SPF daily.
This ingredient is is an created by reacting gluconic acid with an alcohol.
Learn more about GluconolactoneGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
