What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein
CleansingBetaine
Humectant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Panthenol, Potassium Olivoyl Hydrolyzed Oat Protein, Betaine, Linoleic Acid, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Oleate, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylyl Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Silt
AbsorbentCetearyl Olivate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingLysolecithin
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPullulan
Algin
Masking
Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Water, Pentylene Glycol, Silt, Cetearyl Olivate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydroxyacetophenone, Panthenol, Cellulose Gum, Lysolecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum, Pullulan, Algin, Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate Hcl, Glucose, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sorbic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is most commonly used as a preservative. It also has a subtle, sweet smell. Small amounts of Benzyl Alcohol is not irritating and safe to use in skincare products. Most Benzyl Alcohol is derived from fruits such as apricots.
Benzyl Alcohol has both antibacterial and antioxidant properties. These properties help lengthen the shelf life of products. Benzyl Alcohol is a solvent and helps dissolve other ingredients. It can also improve the texture and spreadability.
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is an astringent alcohol.
Using high concentrations of these alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
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.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl 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 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 StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
