What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantLinalool
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glycine Soja Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientPropanediol
SolventSqualane
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
EmollientTridecyl Stearate
EmollientLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningGentiana Lutea Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentHydrolyzed Rice Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
MaskingFumaria Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantThermus Thermophillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialSaccharomyces Lysate Extract
HumectantLimonium Vulgare Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningArtemia Extract
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientAlgae Extract
EmollientLinoleic Acid
CleansingDimethiconol
EmollientIsohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLecithin
EmollientTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientLauryl Alcohol
EmollientGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantSucrose
HumectantErgothioneine
AntioxidantAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
EmulsifyingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientSodium PCA
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingUrea
BufferingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
AntioxidantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientPolyquaternium-51
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingFumaric Acid
BufferingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentParfum
MaskingDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialLinalool
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingHydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
MaskingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Polysorbate 60, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Propanediol, Squalane, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Tridecyl Stearate, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Gentiana Lutea Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Extract, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Hydrolyzed Rice Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Fumaria Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Thermus Thermophillus Ferment, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Limonium Vulgare Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Palmitoyl Hydroxypropyltrimonium Amylopectin/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Artemia Extract, Cholesterol, Algae Extract, Linoleic Acid, Dimethiconol, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lecithin, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Lauryl Alcohol, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Trehalose, Sucrose, Ergothioneine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caffeine, Palmitic Acid, Sodium PCA, Stearic Acid, Urea, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-51, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Benzoate, Fumaric Acid, Cyclodextrin, Parfum, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Benzyl Salicylate, CI 42090, CI 19140
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearateLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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