What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Acrylates Copolymer
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningArctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCamellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclotetrasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Helianthus Annuus Flower
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates Copolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butyloctyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Flower, Hyaluronic Acid, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Saccharide Isomerate, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Hydroquinone 2%
Stabilising
Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBetaine
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Propylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
PEG-16 Soy Sterol
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingHydroquinone 2%, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Water, Glycerin, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Parfum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Propylparaben, Ethylparaben, PEG-16 Soy Sterol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Glycine Soja Protein
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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 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 StearateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
