What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cera Alba
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Parfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Collagen
Moisturising
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Stearate, Cera Alba, Glycerin, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Myristate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Polyacrylamide, Glyceryl Stearate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Niacinamide, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Butylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Collagen, Sorbic Acid
Collagen
Moisturising
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chlorella Protothecoides Oil
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Glucoside
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides
Skin ProtectingCollagen Amino Acids
Moisturising
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Extract
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Phytate
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Vanillin
Masking
Amyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Acetate
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingIonone
Astringent
Linalool
Perfuming
Collagen, Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Methicone, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Chlorella Protothecoides Oil, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Parachlorella Beijerinckii Exopolysaccharides, Collagen Amino Acids, Ceramide NP, Silybum Marianum Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Carnosine, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Phytate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Triethyl Citrate, Vanillin, Amyl Salicylate, Benzyl Acetate, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ionone, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCollagen is a big structural protein that your body uses to keep skin firm and bouncy. Despite the marketing, topically applied collagen doesn't "refill" the collagen in your skin.
The molecule is too big to pass through your skin barrier so intact Collagen physically can't get past the surface.
What it actually does in your skincare is work as a humectant and film-former: it binds water, lays down a light moisturizing film, and reduces water loss from the surface. This helps make skin feel smoother and temporarily plumper.
This ingredient has been found safe for use in cosmetics with clinical studies showing no irritation, sensitization, or phototoxicity. It's typically used at low concentrations (often a fraction of a percent up to a few percent).
Collagen will not increase sun sensitivity, but you should always wear sunscreen during the day.
Learn more about hydrolyzed collagen or soluble collagen.
Learn more about CollagenEthylhexyl Palmitate, also known as octyl palmitate, is created from 2-ethylhexyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
In cosmetics, it plays many roles:
One thing worth noting: a controlled study found this ingredient applied under occlusion to acne-prone subjects increased microcomedones. Just keep in mind this was under occlusive conditions and don't reflect how most products are used day-to-day.
For most people, this is a well-tolerated and lightweight ingredient.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it is an ester of palmitic acid, a C16 fatty acid that falls within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl PalmitateEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Water. 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
