What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Climbazole
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phosphate
BufferingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientBHA
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Polysorbate 80, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Bisabolol, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Jojoba Esters, Butylene Glycol, BHT, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Propanediol, Polysorbate 20, Retinol, Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Climbazole, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lactate, Carbomer, Sorbic Acid, Disodium Phosphate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phosphate, Saccharide Isomerate, Glyceryl Caprylate, BHA, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Fructose
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingUrea
Buffering
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Maltose
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Magnesium Chloride
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Zinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Glucose
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Benzyl Alcohol 0.001%
Perfuming
Water, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylamide, Alcohol Denat., Citric Acid, Fructose, Sodium Hydroxide, Urea, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Laureth-7, Allantoin, Maltose, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Trehalose, Magnesium Chloride, T-Butyl Alcohol, Zinc Gluconate, Carbomer, Copper Tripeptide-1, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Glucose, Centella Asiatica Extract, Caffeine, Ceramide EOP, Benzyl Alcohol 0.001%
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholButylene 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 GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateWater. 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
