What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSteareth-21
CleansingJojoba Esters
EmollientPetrolatum
EmollientSelaginella Lepidophylla Extract
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientUbiquinone
AntioxidantWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantMagnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantSodium Lactate
BufferingMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium PCA
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientHydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin ConditioningSqualene
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientStearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantEDTA
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingWater, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Steareth-21, Jojoba Esters, Petrolatum, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Salicylic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Isohexadecane, Ubiquinone, Whey Protein, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Bisabolol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Phytosterols, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Lactate, Methyl Gluceth-20, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium PCA, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Squalene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Methylparaben, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, EDTA, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone 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 GlycerinPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumWater. 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