What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingC13-15 Alkane
SolventCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Polyacrylate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Menthyl Lactate
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice
Skin ConditioningPotassium Phosphate
BufferingPullulan
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil
Emollient
Serine
Masking
Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan
CleansingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trehalose
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingYogurt Powder
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Propanediol, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, C13-15 Alkane, Coco-Caprylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Algin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Ascorbic Acid, Bisabolol, Caprylyl Glycol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Disodium Phosphate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Lactobacillus, Lauroyl Lysine, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Maltodextrin, Menthyl Lactate, Panthenol, Parfum, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Polymnia Sonchifolia Root Juice, Potassium Phosphate, Pullulan, Salicylic Acid, Salvia Hispanica Seed Oil, Serine, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trehalose, Urea, Xanthan Gum, Yogurt Powder, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Pentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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
