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
Surfactant
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 ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentTapioca Starch
C13-15 Alkane
SolventBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Diglycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polygonum Tinctorium Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Distarch Phosphate, Tapioca Starch, C13-15 Alkane, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Diglycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Polygonum Tinctorium Leaf Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Squalane, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Xanthan Gum, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Lactic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearateWater. 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
