This oil-control serum is formulated around Niacinamide and Zinc PCA to balance excess oil and refine the look of pores.
This acne serum is formulated around Salicylic Acid and Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 to clear breakouts and soften the look of wrinkles.
What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Polysilicone-11
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract
AstringentGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicPlankton Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Micrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
PEG-8
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Methyl Trimethicone, Polysorbate 20, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Polysilicone-11, Salicylic Acid, Oenothera Biennis Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Plankton Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Glucosamine, Caffeine, Glycine Soja Protein, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cholesterol, Caprylyl Glycol, Micrococcus Lysate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Lecithin, Whey Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, PEG-8, Sodium Hydroxide, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Phenoxyethanol 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 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
