What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Colloidal Gold
AntimicrobialCaulerpa Lentillifera Extract
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion Stabilising
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Honey Extract
Humectant
Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAvena Sativa Bran Extract
Abrasive
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyurethane Crosspolymer-1
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingWater, Isopropyl Myristate, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Retinol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tocopherol, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Ferulic Acid, Colloidal Gold, Caulerpa Lentillifera Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Honey Extract, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Polyurethane Crosspolymer-1, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Diisostearyl Malate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polypropylsilsesquioxane
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Retinal 0.1%
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Sponge
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Diisostearyl Malate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polypropylsilsesquioxane, Panthenol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lecithin, Carbomer, Arginine, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopherol, Retinal 0.1%, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Ascorbic Acid, Glucose, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Reviews
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 GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
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
