What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Butylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientMacadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
EmollientAdenosine
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentCholesterol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningRetinal
Skin ConditioningBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientPhytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantAluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Olivate, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Adenosine, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Cholesterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Retinal, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningUndecane
EmollientTridecane
Perfuming3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaffeine
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Laurate
EmollientAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPropanediol
SolventTriolein
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientCitrus Reticulata Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
AntioxidantTapioca Starch
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCyclodextrin
AbsorbentAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingMethyl Gluceth-20
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitol
HumectantIsostearyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSucralose
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingDilauryl Thiodipropionate
AntioxidantWater, Undecane, Tridecane, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, Caffeine, Isoamyl Laurate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Caprylyl Glycol, Propanediol, Triolein, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Citrus Reticulata Peel Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Tapioca Starch, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cyclodextrin, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitol, Isostearyl Hydroxystearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Gluconate, Xanthan Gum, Sucralose, Citric Acid, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate
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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 Water