What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeButylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingTrideceth-9
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingMenthyl Lactate
MaskingPPG-26-Buteth-26
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Zinc Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trideceth-9, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Menthyl Lactate, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Polysorbate 20, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSilica
AbrasiveDisodium Succinate
MaskingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylparaben
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSuccinic Acid
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingStyrene/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBetaine
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantArginine
MaskingMenthol
MaskingMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningMentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantZinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate
HumectantCalcium Chloride
AstringentPotassium Chloride
Copper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingEucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil
PerfumingAcrylic Acid
Sorbic Acid
PreservativeCoix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Silica, Disodium Succinate, Potassium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Succinic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Styrene/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Arginine, Menthol, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Propylene Glycol, Zinc Hydrolyzed Hyaluronate, Calcium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Copper Gluconate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Acrylic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed 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 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Propylene 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 WaterZinc gluconate has antibacterial and wound healing properties. It is particularly effective against fighting inflammatory acne.
This ingredient is the zinc salt of the PHA gluconic acid. PHAs are gentle cousins to AHAs.