What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Linoleate
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientSorbitol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCalcium Chloride
AstringentCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingGlyceryl Linolenate
EmollientGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientGlyceryl Palmitate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLactic Acid
BufferingMica
Cosmetic ColorantPalmitic Acid
EmollientPEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Stearate
CleansingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientTropolone
Skin ConditioningVanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Dimethicone, Bakuchiol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Sorbitol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Calcium Chloride, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Lactic Acid, Mica, Palmitic Acid, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Stearic Acid, CI 77891, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Tropolone, Vanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Isopropyl Myristate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 GlycerinWater. 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