What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Canola Oil
Emollient
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientInulin
Skin Conditioning
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Zea Mays Oil
Emulsifying
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialGlycerin, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Unsaponifiables, Cardiospermum Halicacabum Flower/Leaf/Vine Extract, Urea, Canola Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Octyldodecanol, Isostearyl Isostearate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Inulin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Zea Mays Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Water, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopherol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientMethyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantThymol Trimethoxycinnamate
Antioxidant
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Mannitol
Humectant
Copernicia Cerifera Wax Extract
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Silica
Abrasive
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Caesalpinia Sappan Stem Powder
Exfoliating
Cholesterol
Emollient
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Diisostearyl Malate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Betaine, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Methyl Trimethicone, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearic Acid, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Arachidyl Alcohol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Acetyl Glucosamine, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide NP, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Thymol Trimethoxycinnamate, Gluconolactone, Glucose, Tocopherol, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Mannitol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax Extract, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Silica, Arachidic Acid, Caesalpinia Sappan Stem Powder, Cholesterol, Oleic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 StearateTocopherol 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
