What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Silica
Abrasive
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Silica, Citric Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Petrolatum
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Myristyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Stearic Acid, Petrolatum, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Dimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lanolin Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Parfum, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 StearateSodium 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 HydroxideTocopheryl 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
