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
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Laurate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Undecylenate
EmollientOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Phytate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantHypericum Perforatum Oil
EmollientAnthemis Nobilis Flower Water
MaskingAspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
MaskingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentRubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract
AstringentArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientIsomalt
HumectantAlcohol
AntimicrobialGardenia Jasminoides Meristem Cell Culture
AntioxidantEchinacea Angustifolia Extract
MoisturisingMarrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture
Skin ProtectingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningPhospholipids
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
AntimicrobialHyaluronic Acid
HumectantArgania Spinosa Callus Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientUbiquinone
AntioxidantSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Persea Gratissima Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Laurate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Hypericum Perforatum Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Water, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Rubus Fruticosus Fruit Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Isomalt, Alcohol, Gardenia Jasminoides Meristem Cell Culture, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Meristem Cell Culture, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Phospholipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Hyaluronic Acid, Argania Spinosa Callus Culture Extract, Lecithin, Ubiquinone, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientEchinacea Angustifolia Extract
MoisturisingLavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlcohol
AntimicrobialBenzoic Acid
MaskingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Echinacea Angustifolia Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lecithin, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also called ethanol or ethyl alcohol. It is denatured, meaning made undrinkable for cosmetic use.
In formulas, it:
Is it bad for your skin?
The answer comes down to concentration. Patch and wash studies have found highly concentrated alcohol-based hand rubs (60-100%) cause less barrier disruption than washing with a basic detergent like SLS. The only measurable effect in these studies was a temporary dip in skin hydration.
Concentrations below 12-15% in leave-on cosmetics is generally well-tolerated. Concentrations above start to see increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and reduced hydration.
In concentrations about 58%, it creates temporary channels in your skin's lipid layers to become more permeable and allow other ingredients to slip through easily.
This ingredient can be up to 80% of the formula in alcohol-based perfumes.
Overall, this ingredient is probably harmless if found lower down an ingredients list but worth side-eyeing if it's high up (especially if your barrier is already struggling).
Alcohol can worsen dry skin, eczema, and oily skin, especially at higher concentrations. This is because it can increase transepidermal water loss and decrease hydration to disrupt the skin barrier.
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
True allergic contact dermatitis to ethanol is uncommon, but be sure to patch test if you have dry or sensitive skin.
Learn more about AlcoholCarthamus tinctorius seed oil comes from safflower, one of humanity's oldest crops.
Safflower seed oil contains a high percentage of linoleic acid and oleic acid. It also contains Vitamin E. These three components are effective moisturizers.
Vitamin E helps nourish your skin's lipid barrier. It is also a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or unstable molecules that may damage your skin cells.
Due to its high fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe.
Thoughout history, safflower has been used for dying fabrics and in food as a saffron substitute.
Learn more about Carthamus Tinctorius Seed OilCetyl 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 AlcoholChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.
Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.
Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.
Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.
Learn more about Chamomilla Recutita Flower ExtractWe don't have a description for Echinacea Angustifolia Extract yet.
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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinThis ingredient is also known as Avocado oil. It's the cold-pressed oil from the flesh of the avocado fruit packed with fatty acids (mostly oleic acid).
The rich fatty acid profile allows it to function as a skin conditioning agent and emollient; it helps soften and smooth skin while reducing water loss.
Preclinical research has found that topical avocado oil increased collagen synthesis and reduced inflammation during wound healing, giving it some skin-repairing credibility.
The unsaponifiable fraction of the oil is also interesting: studies on avocado unsaponifiables showed that it helped skin produce more collagen and other structural compounds that support healing.
The CIR Expert Panel has found this ingredient to be non-irritating in formulations.
It's a great ingredient for dry or compromised skin. Just know it may not be fungal acne safe. This is because the oleic acid content falls within the range that Malassezia can use as a food source.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. 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