What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Betaine, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Decylene Glycol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil
Astringent
Citrus Medica Peel Oil
Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Persea Gratissima Fruit Butter
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Triethanolamine, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Aniba Rosaeodora Wood Oil, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Amyris Balsamifera Bark Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Santalum Album Oil, Persea Gratissima Fruit Butter, Tocopherol, Allantoin, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA
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 StearateWater. 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
