What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-20
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract
Emollient
Zanthoxylum Piperitum Peel Extract
AntimicrobialPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningPinellia Ternata Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningJasminum Sambac Flower Extract
Masking
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCentaurea Cyanus Flower Extract
Astringent
Prunus Mume Extract
Antioxidant
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract
Masking
Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGanoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Methylparaben
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Trehalose, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine, PPG-6-Decyltetradeceth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Astragalus Membranaceus Root Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Peel Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Pinellia Ternata Tuber Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Jasminum Sambac Flower Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Prunus Mume Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract, Methylparaben, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Betaine is a humectant. Like hyaluronic acid, it helps attract and retain moisture in the skin. It’s known for being gentle and for helping the skin maintain balanced hydration.
Betaine is mainly used to improve hydration and support calmer skin. It helps skin cells regulate water balance because it functions as an osmolyte.
Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.
Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.
Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.
Learn more about BetaineButylene 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 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.
Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
