What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-Crosspolymer
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingVp/Va Copolymer
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimer Dilinoleate/Ethylenediamine Copolymer Acetate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
CI 16255
Cosmetic ColorantParfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone, PEG-Crosspolymer, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Crosspolymer, Vp/Va Copolymer, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimer Dilinoleate/Ethylenediamine Copolymer Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, CI 16255, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingSilanetriol
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer
C12-13 Pareth-23
CleansingC12-13 Pareth-3
EmulsifyingDimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylsilanol Mannuronate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Silanetriol, Hyaluronic Acid, Divinyldimethicone/Dimethicone Copolymer, C12-13 Pareth-23, C12-13 Pareth-3, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Saccharide Isomerate, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Lactobacillus, Maltodextrin, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylsilanol Mannuronate, Phenoxyethanol, Methylisothiazolinone, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, CI 42090
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C13-14 Isoparaffin is a synthetic emollient, solvent, and thickening agent. It helps soften skin and improves spreadability without leaving a greasy residue.
This ingredient has been found to be non-sensitizing and safe for use in cosmetics.
Two things floating around online that cause fear-mongering:
There's one scary-sounding study related to kidney tumors in male rats; this depends on a protein called alpha-2u-globulin that binds the ingredient and clogs up kidney cells. Female rats barely make this protein, and humans don't make it at all so this effect cannot happen to us. Regulatory bodies have states this rat-only pathway shouldn't be used to judge human risk.
The other thing you'll see is 1,4-dioxane being a trace byproduct that can form during manufacturing of petroleum-derived ingredients. This is a real, but heavily managed/monitored issue. This byproduct is removed through purification steps before the ingredients goes into the formula. Regulatory bodies also actively monitor residual levels for safety.
One last thing to note: this ingredient is a pure hydrocarbon with no fatty-acid or ester chains for Malassezia to feed on, so it's considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about C13-14 IsoparaffinCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneGlycerin (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 GlycerinLaureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
This ingredient is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.
Phenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPolyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.
It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.
We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about PolyacrylamideWater. 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
