What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-12
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Palmitate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, PEG-12, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Benzoic Acid, Parfum, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningIsocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Isocetyl Stearate, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetyl 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 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Sodium 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
