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 ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Betaine
Humectant
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentCalcium Pantothenate
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Biosaccharide Gum-4
Skin Conditioning
Calluna Vulgaris Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCastanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Silica
Abrasive
Water, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Betaine, Triethylhexanoin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Caprylyl Glycol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Niacinamide, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Calcium Pantothenate, Maltodextrin, Biosaccharide Gum-4, Calluna Vulgaris Flower Extract, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Arachidic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Pyridoxine Hcl, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Silica
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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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.
Tocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
