What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingCocoglycerides
EmollientPropanediol
SolventPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
EmollientInulin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientBacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialLactic Acid
BufferingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentAmorphophallus Konjac Root Extract
HumectantAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
CleansingSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialMontmorillonite
AbsorbentMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientAnthocyanins
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cocoglycerides, Propanediol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Coco-Caprylate, Inulin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Bacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment, Bisabolol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cyanocobalamin, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Benzoate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrin, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Extract, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Sodium Anisate, Montmorillonite, Myristyl Alcohol, Anthocyanins, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
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 Citrate is a citric acid ester of glyceryl stearate.
It is an emulsifier, emollient, and a surfactant.
Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating. Common ingredients include oils and water, which do not mix naturally. Emulsifiers have properties that help keep ingredients such as these together.
Emollients help soothe and soften the skin. They do this by creating a protective film on your skin. This barrier helps trap moisture and keeps your skin hydrated. Emollients may be effective at treating dry or itchy skin.
Surfactants help gather oils, dirt, and other pollutants from the skin. This helps them to be easily rinsed away.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate CitrateWater. 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