What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-7 Trimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Vp/Va Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Glycereth-7 Trimethyl Ether, Xylitylglucoside, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Phenoxyethanol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Agave Tequilana Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, T-Butyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningMethyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBeta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Artemia Extract
Skin ConditioningNymphaea Alba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientPolygala Senega Root Extract
RefreshingBerberis Vulgaris Root Extract
AntimicrobialCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Betaine
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Methyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingMethicone
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningTribehenin
Emollient
Glucose
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-75
HumectantSilica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysilicone-11
Synthetic Fluorphlogopite
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Nylon-12
Magnesium Chloride
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCalcium Chloride
AstringentCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Sulfate
Potassium Nitrate
SoothingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
ChelatingSodium Citrate
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77163
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Methyl Trimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Squalane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Artemia Extract, Nymphaea Alba Root Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Polygala Senega Root Extract, Berberis Vulgaris Root Extract, Caffeine, Phenyl Trimethicone, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Betaine, Trehalose, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Cholesterol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Methicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Faex Extract, Tribehenin, Glucose, Sucrose, Tin Oxide, Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 Crosspolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, PEG-75, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysilicone-11, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Xanthan Gum, Polyquaternium-51, Nylon-12, Magnesium Chloride, Sodium Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfate, Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77163
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 GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
