What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sulfur
Antiseborrhoeic
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
PCA
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Threonine
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sulfur, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, PCA, Sorbitol, Serine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Threonine, Proline, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
4-Terpineol
Masking
Succinic Acid
BufferingMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Triethanolamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract, Isononyl Isononanoate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Propylene Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Salix Alba Bark Extract, 4-Terpineol, Succinic Acid, Madecassoside, Salicylic Acid, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Methylpropanediol, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 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
