What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Panthenol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Calcium Pantothenate
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Pyridoxine
Skin ConditioningMenthol
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Powder, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Triethanolamine, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Polysorbate 60, Hyaluronic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Maltodextrin, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Pyridoxine, Menthol, Silica
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 GlycolDisodium 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
