What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing10-Hydroxydecenoic Acid
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningBenzoic Acid
MaskingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, 10-Hydroxydecenoic Acid, Avena Sativa Leaf/Stem Extract, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientTriisostearin
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
EmollientLaureth-9
EmulsifyingPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingArginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingMyristic Acid
CleansingArachidic Acid
CleansingOleic Acid
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTrans-2-Tert-Butylcyclohexanol
PerfumingMenthoxypropanediol
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Isopropyl Palmitate, Triisostearin, Stearyl Alcohol, Laureth-9, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Distarch Phosphate, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Arginine Hcl, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Oleic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trans-2-Tert-Butylcyclohexanol, Menthoxypropanediol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
It is used to stabilize the mixing of water and oil ingredients. By preventing these ingredients from separating, it can help elongate shelf life. It can also help thicken the product's texture.
As an emollient, it helps soften skin and supports barrier-replenishing ingredients.
In cosmetics, Glyceryl Stearate is often made from vegetable oils or synthetically produced.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol (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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water