What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Stearate/Caprate/Caprylate/Adipate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMyristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningSea Water
HumectantPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Palmitamide Mea
HumectantBis-Capryloyloxypalmitamido Isopropanol
EmollientN-Decanoyl Serinol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil
Masking
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Juniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAzulene
Skin Conditioning
Lysine
Skin ConditioningPhenylalanine
Masking
Threonine
Valine
MaskingWater, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentaerythrityl Stearate/Caprate/Caprylate/Adipate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Sea Water, Phytosterols, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Palmitamide Mea, Bis-Capryloyloxypalmitamido Isopropanol, N-Decanoyl Serinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Elettaria Cardamomum Seed Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Leucine, Azulene, Lysine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Valine
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingLimonene
Perfuming
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.
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 preservatives
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 GlycerinWater. 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
