What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Serine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Leucine
Skin ConditioningAlanine
Masking
Lysine
Skin ConditioningArginine
Masking
Tyrosine
MaskingPhenylalanine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Histidine
Humectant
Cysteine
Antioxidant
Methionine
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Isopropyl Myristate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Water, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Panthenol, Glycerin, Glycine, Serine, Glutamic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Leucine, Alanine, Lysine, Arginine, Tyrosine, Phenylalanine, Proline, Threonine, Valine, Isoleucine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Histidine, Cysteine, Methionine, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
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 GlycerinIsopropyl Myristate is an emollient, thickening agent, and texture enhancer. It is created from isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid.
It is used to help other ingredients be better absorbed. It is also an emollient and may help soften and hydrate the skin.
The comedogenic rating of this ingredient depends on the concentration. Lower amounts results in a lower rating.
Isopropyl Myristate may not be fungal acne safe. It can potentially worsen acne prone skin.
Learn more about Isopropyl MyristateJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate is a surfactant and emulsifier.
This ingredient is a tetraester from oleic acid and polyethylene glycol ether of sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it helps ingredients such as oil and water mix together. This allows the dirt and oils in your skin to be washed away.
One study found pumpkin oil containing Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate helped hydrate the skin and did not cause any irritation.
Learn more about Sorbeth-30 TetraoleateWater. 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
