What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPEG-32
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-6
HumectantDisodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, PEG-32, Butylene Glycol, PEG-6, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glycerin, Benzoic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Sorbic Acid, Maltodextrin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate
CleansingLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Malva Sylvestris Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Methyl 2-Sulfolaurate, Panthenol, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Allantoin, Disodium 2-Sulfolaurate, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Malva Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Extract, Butylene Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Hexylene Glycol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzoic Acid is an organic acid that shows up in cosmetics as a preservative. It helps keep a product from spoiling by holding back the growth of yeast, mold, and some bacteria.
This ingredient also functions as a fragrance ingredient that helps mask the unpleasant scent of other ingredients.
The way it works is worth understanding; benzoic acid works when the formula is acidic. It is able to sneak into a microbe's cell and mess up how it functions to stop it from growing in an acidic product.
However, the acid switches to an inactive form and stops working if a product isn't acidic enough (above ~5 pH). This is why you'll often see it in low pH products or teamed up with other preservatives to cover the gap.
Safety wise, it's one of the better studied preservatives out there.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%.
A large international review found this ingredient had no effects on the human body and had low irritation potential.
Just so you know, real world use is usually much lower than the 5% ceiling (usually 1% of less).
The EU caps it at 2.5% in rinse-off products, 1.7% in oral care, and 0.5% in leave-on products.
One thing worth mentioning (it's nothing to worry about): some people get a little stinging or flushing where they apply it. This isn't a true allergy; it's a temporary and harmless reaction. This is the same kind of mild tingle you might notice from sorbic acid.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidButylene 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 GlycolChlorphenesin is a synthetic preservative. It helps protect a product against bacteria in order to extend shelf life. In most cases, Chlorphenesin is paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol.
Chlorphenesin is a biocide. This means it is able to help fight the microorganisms on our skin. It is also able to fight odor-releasing bacteria.
Chlorphenesin is soluble in both water and glycerin.
Studies show Chlorphenesin is easily absorbed by our skin. You should speak with a skincare professional if you have concerns about using Chlorphenesin.
Learn more about ChlorphenesinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt. This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.
You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.
You might see people debate whether Sodium Chloride is comedogenic, but there actually haven't been any comedogenic tests done on it. Either way, the overall formulation of a product matters a lot more than any single ingredient.
You might see this ingredient used in scrubs as a primary exfoliating ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium ChlorideSorbic Acid is a preservative that stops your product from spoiling by stopping microbes from growing.
As a preservative, it's kind of a specialist: it has a broad spectrum of activity against yeast and molds but is weaker against bacteria. That's why it's often paired with another preservative to cover that gap.
This ingredient is also pretty picky about pH; it performs best at pH 6.5 or below.
At the right pH level, sorbic acid is "active" and can slip through the outer wall of a microbe. Once inside, it turns the cell's interior more acidic to shut down the microbe from the inside.
The EU caps this ingredient at 0.6% while the CIR has concluded it's safe at concentrations up to 1%. It's most often used around 0.05-0.2% in cosmetics.
Though this ingredient is considered low-sensitizing and well-tolerated, a very small number of people may have a contact allergy to it. Be sure to patch test if you have a history of allergies towards preservatives.
Learn more about Sorbic 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
