What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sunflower Oil Decyl Esters
Skin Conditioning
Portulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin Conditioning
Viscum Album Fruit Extract
SoothingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sunflower Oil Decyl Esters, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Viscum Album Fruit Extract, Sorbitan Stearate, Beta-Glucan, Tocopherol, Phytosterols, Carbomer, Allantoin, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Santalum Album Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydrogenated Rice Bran Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDiisostearyl Malate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPanax Ginseng Root Water
Masking
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAngelica Acutiloba Root Extract
Skin ConditioningOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea
Emollient
Mannitol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Glycine Max Oil
Emollient
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Hydrogenated Rice Bran Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Cyclohexasiloxane, Dimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Diisostearyl Malate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C14-22 Alcohols, Arachidyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Caprylate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Panax Ginseng Root Water, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Bupleurum Falcatum Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Hydroxypropyl Bispalmitamide Mea, Mannitol, Glucose, Glycine Max Oil, Myristic Acid, Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Arachidic Acid, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Silica, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Ā
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesĀ
Glycerin (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 StearatePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Ā
Itās often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
