What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Acetamidoethoxyethanol
Humectant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
Emollient
Lysine
Skin ConditioningHistidine
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Threonine
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningTyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningMenthyl Lactate
Masking
PPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Water, Glycerin, Tranexamic Acid, Alpha-Arbutin, Butylene Glycol, Acetamidoethoxyethanol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Panthenol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Lysine, Histidine, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Proline, Glycine, Alanine, Valine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Menthyl Lactate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vinyldimethicone
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water
Masking
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMethylpropanediol
SolventFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Polyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycereth-26, Glyceryl Stearate, Betaine, Behenyl Alcohol, Vinyldimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Cynara Scolymus Leaf Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Water, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Methylpropanediol, Fructooligosaccharides, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Polyquaternium-51, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene 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 GlycolEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
