What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Synthetic Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Olivate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pentylene Glycol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Polyacrylamide, Dimethiconol, Sorbitan Olivate, Synthetic Beeswax, Laureth-7, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDimethicone
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMethylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Octyldodecanol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dimethicone, Squalane, Tapioca Starch, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Myristyl Myristate, Butylene Glycol, Benzyl Alcohol, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 PhenoxyethanolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
