What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lactate
Buffering
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sorbitol
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Ammonium Lactate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Disodium EDTA, Lactic Acid, Serine, Sodium Lactate, Sorbitol, Urea, Linalool, Citronellol, Sodium Chloride, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Limonene, Coumarin, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Allantoin, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Geraniol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium lactate is derived from lactic acid and is considered an AHA. It is often used to treat very dry, rough, or itchy skin.
At 12% strength, this ingredient has been shown to do more than just moisturize. Studies show it can increase skin thickness, boost natural hyaluronic acid in skin, and improve overall firmness/elasticity.
You'll likely see this ingredient in eczema treatments. Many OTC products contain this ingredient (up to 10%), but stronger versions (30%) are only available by prescription in many countries.
According to the Cosmetic Use Guidelines (CIR Expert Panel), this ingredient is safe to use at ≤10% with pH ≥3.5, provided sun protection is included. Like all AHAs, ammonium lactate makes your skin more sensitive to the sun (daily sun protection is a mustl). Without it, UV exposure can lead to damage and undo the benefits of treatment.
Be sure to listen to your medical provider when using prescription ammonium lactate.
Learn more about Ammonium LactateCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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
