What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Honey
Humectant
Juglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Limonene
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNatto Gum
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Glycerin, Betaine, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Parfum, Honey, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Limonene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Phenyl Trimethicone, Chondrus Crispus, Linalool, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Natto Gum, Citronellol, Citral, Propylene Glycol, Geraniol, Chlorphenesin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, BHT, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningBifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Sorbus Commixta Extract
Skin ConditioningJuniperus Chinensis Xylem Extract
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialBetaine
Humectant
Grifola Frondosa/Ophioglossum Vulgatum Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Hydrolyzed Rice Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sea Water
HumectantCarthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Extensin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAronia Arbutifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEchium Plantagineum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Manilkara Multinervis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Cassia Alata Leaf Extract
AstringentLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Yeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningPogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningBeta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-10 Citrulline
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Arabica Stem Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Arachidonate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Ethyl Hexanediol
SolventDimethicone
Emollient
PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone
Emulsifying
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclomethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Dextrin
AbsorbentLauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceteth-24
CleansingCholeth-24
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyltrimonium Maltodextrin Crosspolymer
Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Lecithin
Emollient
PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol
Cleansing
BHT
Antioxidant
Ceteth-3
EmulsifyingCeteth-5
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycereth-26, Sorbus Commixta Extract, Juniperus Chinensis Xylem Extract, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Leuconostoc Ferment Filtrate, Betaine, Grifola Frondosa/Ophioglossum Vulgatum Extract Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Sea Water, Carthamus Tinctorius Oleosomes, Hydrolyzed Extensin, Adenosine, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Aronia Arbutifolia Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata Leaf Extract, Echium Plantagineum Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Manilkara Multinervis Leaf Extract, Theobroma Cacao Seed Extract, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Saccharomyces/Viscum Album Ferment Extract, Yeast Ferment Extract, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Beta-Sitosterol, Panthenol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Ubiquinone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Retinol, Cucumis Melo Fruit Extract, Biotin, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Tripeptide-10 Citrulline, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Tripeptide-1, Acacia Arabica Stem Bark Extract, Cholesterol, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethyl Hexanediol, Dimethicone, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Triethanolamine, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Octyldodecanol, Xanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Dextrin, Lauryl Methacrylate/Glycol Dimethacrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Dimethiconol, Propylene Glycol, Ceteth-24, Choleth-24, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Maltodextrin Crosspolymer, Cetyl Phosphate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin, PEG-5 Rapeseed Sterol, BHT, Ceteth-3, Ceteth-5, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineBHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTBis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane belongs to the siloxanes and silicones classes. It is synthetically created and has a waxy composition.
This ingredient is a humectant and emollient, meaning it helps hydrate the skin. Humectants draw moisture to your skin, while emollients prevent moisture from escaping.
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 CarbomerDextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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.
This extract comes from Purslane, a succulent. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and hydrating properties.
Purslane is very nutritious. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, NMFs, many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The vitamins found in purslane include: Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E.
Fun fact: Purslane is a succulent with an extensive habitat. It is used in traditional Korean medicine to treat irritated skin.
Nowadays, purslane is becoming a superfood due to its highly nutritious content.
Learn more about Portulaca Oleracea ExtractPropylene 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 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
