What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
Cleansing
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAcer Rubrum Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Aminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Myristyl Myristate, Octyldodecanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Zea Mays Starch, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Acer Rubrum Bark Extract, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Caprylic Acid
CleansingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Helichrysum Italicum Extract
AntiseborrhoeicPhaseolus Angularis Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Bacillus
Skin ConditioningCordyceps Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Inonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningLentinus Edodes Extract
Skin ConditioningPhellinus Linteus Ferment Filtrate
Schizophyllum Commune Mycelium
EmollientTricholoma Matsutake Mycelium Ferment Extract
HumectantLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Gleditsia Australis Thorn Extract
Skin ConditioningHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phellodendron Amurense Bark
Abrasive
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Prunella Vulgaris
Skin ConditioningTorilis Japonica Extract
Antimicrobial
Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Camellia Sinensis Extract Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Acetic Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Caprylic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Glycine Soja Sterols, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides Root Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Bacillus, Cordyceps Sinensis Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Lentinus Edodes Extract, Phellinus Linteus Ferment Filtrate, Schizophyllum Commune Mycelium, Tricholoma Matsutake Mycelium Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus, Centella Asiatica Extract, Gleditsia Australis Thorn Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Prunella Vulgaris, Torilis Japonica Extract, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces Lysate, Saccharomyces/Camellia Sinensis Extract Ferment Filtrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Bisabolol, Xylitylglucoside, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Anhydroxylitol, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caffeine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Xylitol, Phospholipids, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sphingolipids, Linoleic Acid, Acetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilTocopheryl 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 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
