What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDimethicone
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingDisodium EDTA
ChelatingPotassium Glycyrrhetinate
MaskingTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Extract
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
PerfumingWater, Isododecane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Hydroxyacetophenone, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Glycyrrhetinate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phyllanthus Emblica Extract, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningStearyl Dimethicone
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantMedicago Sativa Extract
TonicHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil
Skin ConditioningLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
EmulsifyingMagnesium Sulfate
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingBis-Vinyl Dimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
BufferingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTin Oxide
AbrasiveSodium Citrate
BufferingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
ChelatingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Stearyl Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Medicago Sativa Extract, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Hydrolyzed Manihot Esculenta Tuber Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara Peel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Magnesium Sulfate, Sclerotium Gum, Bis-Vinyl Dimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, Citric Acid, CI 77891, Tin Oxide, Sodium Citrate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
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 GlycolThis ingredient is a silicone-based emulsifer that helps the water and oil phases play nicely together.
It's pretty effective because one end of the molecule loves oil and the other one loves water.
Besides holding formulas together, it also leaves a silky and lightweight feel on skin without the greasiness. A manufacturer also claims it can help with the controlled release of active ingredients.
The CIR Expert Panel found this ingredient to not be sensitizing in concentrations up to 15% in human maximazation testing and dimethicone-based compounds were not comedogenic.
It has a high molecular weight well above 1,000 g/mol which means it limits meaningful skin penetration.
A 2019 study specifically tested this ingredient and found no observable Malassezia growth in its presence.
Learn more about Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 DimethiconeDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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