What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientBetaine
HumectantMethyl Glycyrrhizate
MaskingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventParfum
MaskingIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Chlorphenesin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenyl Trimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Betaine, Methyl Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Propanediol, Parfum, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-8
HumectantAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantOlea Europaea Leaf Extract
PerfumingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingParfum
MaskingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Benzoate
MaskingCitrus Grandis Extract
AntimicrobialCitrus Grandis Fruit Extract
AstringentToluene Sulfonic Acid
Benzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCellulose Acetate Butyrate
Benzyl Alcohol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, PEG-8, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Olea Europaea Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Parfum, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Citrus Grandis Extract, Citrus Grandis Fruit Extract, Toluene Sulfonic Acid, Benzyl Benzoate, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Benzyl Alcohol, Linalool
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 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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