What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMyristyl Glucoside
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Diutan Gum
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tribehenin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentPhenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine
Stabilising
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSilybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vp/Eicosene Copolymer
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Dibehenate
Emollient
PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether
EmulsifyingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientTribehenin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Octyldodecanol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Oryza Sativa Starch, Phenylene Bis-Diphenyltriazine, Glycerin, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Vp/Eicosene Copolymer, Benzoic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Behenate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, CI 17200, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Tribehenin, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 Behenate is a fatty acid created from glycerin and behenic acid. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal acne safe.
Glyceryl Dibehenate isn't fungal acne safe.
Octyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Pentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPotassium 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 PhosphateThis ingredient is also known as milk thistle extract. It has antioxidant that can help soothe skin and even out skin tone.
Clinical studies found topical milk thistle extract can help improve the appearance of discoloration over time. This is most likely because it can help calm inflammation and supports more balanced pigment activity in the skin.
In real-world studies, products containing this extract were associated with fewer clogged pores and fewer acne lesions.
Lab studies show milk thistle has been shown to:
Research on this ingredient also found a sustained and significant decrease in acne lesion counts (a ~45% improvement after 6 months and ~59% at 12 months).
Learn more about Silybum Marianum Fruit ExtractTribehenin comes from glycerin and behenic acid.
It is used as an emollient, or moisturizer. Emollients form a thin barrier on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about TribeheninWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
