What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Pantolactone
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Pantolactone, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Polybutene
Sucrose
Humectant
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientSigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
Usnea Barbata Extract
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Polysilicone-11
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Salvia Officinalis Leaf
MaskingGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningGentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningLactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Squalane
Emollient
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
PEG-8
HumectantPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Isomerized Linoleic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sulfate
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantIron Oxides
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Phenyl Trimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Polybutene, Sucrose, Cetyl Esters, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, PEG-100 Stearate, Usnea Barbata Extract, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Polysilicone-11, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Yeast Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Stearic Acid, Milk Protein, Lactis Proteinum, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Squalane, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cholesterol, Caffeine, PEG-8, Phytosphingosine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aminomethyl Propanol, Dimethicone, Isomerized Linoleic Acid, Linoleic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Decarboxy Carnosine Hcl, Potassium Sulfate, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, Mica, Iron Oxides, CI 77891
Reviews
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
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 Water
