What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Urea, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dibutyl Adipate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Phenoxyethanol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Triacetin
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus Powder
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Urea, Octyldodecanol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Stearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Triacetin, Panthenol, Allantoin, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Carboxymethyl Betaglucan, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
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 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 StearateGlyceryl 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 CitrateHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides isn't fungal acne safe.
Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolTocopheryl 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 AcetateUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
