What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
C15-19 Alkane
SolventPropanediol
Solvent
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer
StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Glycerin, Homosalate, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, C15-19 Alkane, Propanediol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, C12-22 Alkyl Acrylate/Hydroxyethylacrylate Copolymer, Tocopherol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Jojoba Esters, Polyglycerin-3, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Polysilicone-15
UV Filter
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tromethamine
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2
AbsorbentDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMoringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Malachite Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Dibutyl Adipate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polysilicone-15, Diisopropyl Adipate, Niacinamide, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Urea, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Tromethamine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Poly C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Sodium Acrylates Crosspolymer-2, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Allantoin, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Adenosine, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Xanthan Gum, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Malachite Extract
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 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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is a small phenolic molecule that earns its place in a formulas as an antioxidant and preservative booster.
As a phenol, it is able to neutralize free radicals to protect both the product and the skin from oxidative stress.
Though it can't kill microbes on its own, it works as a good supporting agent when combined with other preservatives like Phenoxyethanol or 1,2-Hexanediol.
This ingredient naturally occurs as piceol in Norwegian spruce needles (~0.4-1.1% dry weight and in cloudberries). Though the cosmetic-grade material is synthesized for purity and consistency.
You'll usually see it used at low levels and suppliers recommend up to 1% added to a water phase.
Safety testing was done at concentrations like 0.05% in SPF products and 0.5% in a Human Repeated Insult Patch Test. The safety evidence is assuring; this ingredient is safe for cosmetics in current use and also holds safety status as a food flavoring as well.
An honest caveat: the "soothing" and "anti-inflammatory" claims come mostly from supplier marketing rather than published clinical trials. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review's own literature search found no useful efficacy studies on this ingredient.
So the antioxidant and preservative-boosting roles are the well supported ones while the calming benefit is plausible but thinly evidenced.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated, low-irritation multitasker that quietly helps a formula stay fresh and stable.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium 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 Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateWater. 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
