What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Decyl Oleate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Algin
Chlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Aqua
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Proline
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningPantolactone
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Triacetin
AntimicrobialPolyisobutene
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Sodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate
CleansingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Urea, Glycerin, Decyl Oleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Squalane, C14-22 Alcohols, Panthenol, Saccharide Isomerate, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Glycine Soja Sterols, Hydrolyzed Algin, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Maris Aqua, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Proline, Magnesium Palmitoyl Glutamate, Pantolactone, Lecithin, Triacetin, Polyisobutene, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Oleate, Sodium Palmitoyl Sarcosinate, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Oleyl Erucate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Mannitol
Humectant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Caffeine, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Oleyl Erucate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Mannitol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
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 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 StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilHydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate isn't fungal acne safe.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
