What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycolic Acid 8%
Buffering
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Lactic Acid 2.5%
Buffering
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingOctyldodecyl Xyloside
EmulsifyingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingLecithin
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPullulan
Parfum
Masking
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Retinol 1%
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Tricaprylin
Perfuming
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Magnesium Stearate
Cosmetic ColorantCitronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycolic Acid 8%, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citrullus Lanatus Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Propanediol, Lactic Acid 2.5%, Potassium Hydroxide, Octyldodecyl Xyloside, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Pullulan, Parfum, Ubiquinone, Phosphatidylcholine, Pentylene Glycol, Retinol 1%, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Tricaprylin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Cetyl Alcohol, Silica Silylate, Silica, Magnesium Stearate, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopentyldiol
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Ergothioneine
Antioxidant
Gellan Gum
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Isopentyldiol, Jojoba Esters, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Retinol, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Ergothioneine, Gellan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dipalmitate, Cetearyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 AlcoholCetyl 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 AlcoholPhenoxyethanol 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.
Retinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolWater. 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
