What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Canola Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Water, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Canola Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Squalane, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium PCA, Lactic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientEthylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Caproyl/Lauroyl Lactylate
AntimicrobialPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Caprylyl Methicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Urea, Tocopheryl Acetate, Juniperus Communis Fruit Extract, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sodium Caproyl/Lauroyl Lactylate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic 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.
Benzoic Acid is used to preserve and adjust the pH of products.
The antimicrobial property of Benzoic Acid helps elongate a product's shelf life. Its main role is to reduce fungi growth and is not found to be effective at fighting bacteria. Therefore Benzoic Acid is always added along with other preservatives.
In its pure form, Benzoic Acid looks like a white crystalline solid. It has slight solubility in water.
The name of Benzoic Acid comes from gum benzoin, which used to be the sole source of deriving this ingredient. Benzoic Acid is the most simple aromatic carboxylic acid.
Benzoic Acid is naturally occuring in strawberries, mustard, cinnamon, and cloves. It has a slight scent but is not considered to be a fragrance.
Learn more about Benzoic AcidCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDehydroacetic Acid is a synthetic preservative that keeps your products safe from microbes.
As an organic acid, it penetrates microbial cell walls and disrupts cellular metabolism. This makes it effective against bacteria, yeast, and mold.
It is effective at low concentrations (<0.6%). Clinical studies have found it to be non-irritating, non-sensitizing, and non-photosensitizing.
Learn more about Dehydroacetic AcidGlyceryl 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 StearateLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the âglueâ that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they donât penetrate as deeply. This means theyâre less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skinâs microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the productâs pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopheryl 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
