What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lactate
BufferingSqualene
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCoconut Alkanes
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingPotassium Lactate
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCandelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycereth-5 Lactate
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingPEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
EmulsifyingPolyisobutene
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
MaskingDisodium EDTA
Water, Ammonium Lactate, Squalene, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Propanediol, Coconut Alkanes, Sodium Lactate, Potassium Lactate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycereth-5 Lactate, Polysorbate 60, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Polyisobutene, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingPetrolatum
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientTriethanolamine
BufferingMethylparaben
PreservativeAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylparaben
PreservativeStearamide Amp
Disodium EDTA
Isopropyl Myristate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCedrol
EmollientWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Petrolatum, Glycol Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Paraffinum Liquidum, Dicaprylyl Ether, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate, Triethanolamine, Methylparaben, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Propylparaben, Stearamide Amp, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Myristate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cedrol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 StearateWater. 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