What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffin
PerfumingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAcrylates Copolymer
Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientEthylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSteareth-2
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingEthylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
AbrasiveHydrogenated Palm Oil
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSoluble Collagen
HumectantSodium Chondroitin Sulfate
Skin ConditioningAtelocollagen
Skin ConditioningWater, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates Copolymer, Beeswax, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Steareth-2, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Panthenol, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Atelocollagen
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffin
PerfumingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAcrylates Copolymer
Cera Alba
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSteareth-2
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingEthylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
AbrasiveHydrogenated Palm Oil
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantDisodium EDTA
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveSoluble Collagen
HumectantSodium Chondroitin Sulfate
Skin ConditioningAtelocollagen
Skin ConditioningCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cera Alba, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Steareth-2, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Panthenol, Silica, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Atelocollagen, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, CI 77891, CI 77007, CI 75470, Mica
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol yet.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Acrylates Copolymer is used as a film-forming agent and texture enhancer.
After applied, Acrylates Copolymer forms a thin film cover that helps skin feel more soft. It can help sunscreens become more water-resistant.
It is also used to make a product more thick.
Learn more about Acrylates CopolymerAtelocollagen can help to reduce the effects of aging.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDisodium 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 EDTAWe don't have a description for Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer yet.
Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer isn't fungal acne safe.
Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil is created from the process of converting jojoba oil to a solid or semi-solid. Jojoba oil has occlusive and emollient properties, making it a great hydrator.
Due to the solid structure of this ingredient, it provides abrasive or exfoliating properties.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Hydrogenated Jojoba OilHydrogenated Palm Oil is an oil and isn't fungal acne safe.
Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParaffin is a solid created from petroleum. The term 'paraffin' can also refer to either
petroleum jelly or mineral oil.
It has natural occlusive properties which can worsen oily skin. Due to its petrolatum base, this ingredient is not fungal-acne safe.
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate is derived from isostearic acid. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
The highest concentration of this ingredient is found in lipsticks.
This ingredient is minimally water soluble and may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about Pentaerythrityl TetraisostearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphatePropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium Chondroitin Sulfate is a type of sulfate.
This ingredient is a preservative with antimicrobial properties. It is the sodium salt of dehydroacetic acid.
It is especially effective at preventing bacterial and fungal growth in low concentrations.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSoluble collagen comes from animals and fish. It has a large molecule size, meaning it doesn't get absorbed into skin.
Instead, it sits on top of skin as a humectant to improve skin hydration. It has incredible water-binding properties and creates a water barrier on skin that prevents evaporation.
This ingredient is incredibly gentle and often used to counter more irritating ingredients.
While our skin does have collagen, this ingredient is not used by the skin for anti-aging. Applying collagen topically has not been linked to helping with collagen loss in skin. All the benefits of soluble collagen are related to hydration.
Fun fact: The name "soluble collagen" refers to its ability to dissolve in water.
Learn more about Soluble CollagenSteareth-2 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from polyethylene glycol and stearyl alcohol. The 2 stands for the number of ethylene oxide units used to create this ingredient.
Due to the low degree of ethoxylation, the molecule stays mostly oil-loving. That's why you'll often see it paired with water-loving steareth-20 or steareth-21 to create elegant emulsions.
In testing, this ingredient was nontoxic in acute oral studies and not a skin irritant or sensitizer.
You might hear concerns about 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct of ethoxylation; this is well-known in the industry and is controlled through purification steps before the ingredient is blended into finished products.
Learn more about Steareth-2Water. 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