What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientAvena Strigosa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingN-Vinyl Pyrrolidone
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantCarica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Lecithin, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, N-Vinyl Pyrrolidone, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingXylitol
HumectantGlucose
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantNopalea Cochenillifera Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Lecithin
EmollientPolyglycerin-3
HumectantGenipa Americana Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingShea Butter Glycerides
EmulsifyingImidazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingNiacinamide
SmoothingGlycerin
HumectantErythritol
HumectantHibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningEthoxydiglycol
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Xylitol, Glucose, Anhydroxylitol, Nopalea Cochenillifera Extract, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Lecithin, Polyglycerin-3, Genipa Americana Extract, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Shea Butter Glycerides, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Sodium Benzoate, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Erythritol, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Ethoxydiglycol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 StearateLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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 Water