What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract
AbrasiveGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitrus Medica Peel Oil
Citric Acid
BufferingSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentPunica Granatum Extract
AstringentRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Water
MaskingSodium Benzoate
MaskingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningUbiquinone
AntioxidantChlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract
Skin ConditioningMarrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ProtectingEchinacea Angustifolia Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ConditioningWater, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glyceryl Laurate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Extract, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Water, Sodium Benzoate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Argania Spinosa Sprout Cell Extract, Ubiquinone, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Echinacea Angustifolia Meristem Cell Culture
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf
PerfumingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Retinyl Palmitate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Reviews
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 (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateGlyceryl Stearate Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate CitratePotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateTocopherol (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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum