What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Triethylene Glycol
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlutathione
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Cellulose Gum, Glycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Triethylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Glutathione, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Arbutin
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Acetyl Tyrosine
Skin ConditioningSaxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Glutathione
Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Petrolatum, PEG-100 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dimethicone, Parfum, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, BHT, Arbutin, Citric Acid, Sodium Sulfite, Acetyl Tyrosine, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glutathione
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 GlycolGlutathione is an antioxidant naturally found in our bodies. It is made up of three amino acids: glycine, cysteine, and glutamic acid.
As an antioxidant, it prevents oxidative damage to parts of our cell.
While glutathione is said to help with fading dark spots, the results from research are inconclusive. Further studies are needed. With that said, gluthatione has been shown to protect our skin from UV-B induced damage.
This ingredient is naturally occurring in plants, animals, fungi, and some bacteria.
Learn more about GlutathionePropylene 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 GlycolWater. 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
