What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-32
HumectantPEG-6
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Laminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSqualane
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Cholesterol
Emollient
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Fruit Extract
EmollientBrassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantCarnosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Methylpropanediol
SolventMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract
Antioxidant
Guaiazulene
Antimicrobial
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningChamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract
TonicSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Methyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Vegetable Oil, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Olivate, Palmitic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, C12-16 Alcohols, Behenyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Squalane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Cellulose Gum, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Cholesterol, Fructooligosaccharides, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Hyaluronate, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Persea Gratissima Fruit Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Carnosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Methylpropanediol, Maltodextrin, Hydrolyzed Gardenia Florida Extract, Guaiazulene, Arginine, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Paeonia Albiflora Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Oligopeptide-1
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycerinPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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 AcidTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
