What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/Octylacrylamide Copolymer
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Glycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingDimethicone
EmollientPvp
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantSteareth-21
CleansingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantWater
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantStyrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Polyurethane-35
Cera Alba
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-200 Glyceryl Stearate
Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientEthylene/Va Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialParaffin
PerfumingAminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingButylene Glycol
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventRayon
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingSodium Laureth Sulfate
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenylpropanol
MaskingBambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Propylene Glycol, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Polyurethane-35, Cera Alba, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-200 Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Ethylene/Va Copolymer, Alcohol Denat., Paraffin, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Butylene Glycol, Methylpropanediol, Rayon, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Myristic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenylpropanol, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
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 GlycolCi 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Glycerin (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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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