What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Propanediol
Solvent
Benzophenone-3
UV Absorber
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Lecithin
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhoenix Dactylifera Seed Extract
MoisturisingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Propanediol, Benzophenone-3, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Ethoxydiglycol, Phospholipids, Xylitol, Glucose, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Sodium Gluconate, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Anhydroxylitol, Citrus Paradisi Fruit Extract, Phoenix Dactylifera Seed Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Tris-Biphenyl Triazine
UV Absorber
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOctenidine Hcl
AntimicrobialNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Triethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Silica, Tris-Biphenyl Triazine, Decyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Octenidine Hcl, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Chrysin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
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 GlycolC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePhenoxyethanol 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.
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
