What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Isohexadecane
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Polyurethane Crosspolymer-1
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
PEG-8
HumectantTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingAscorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPhenylpropanol
Masking
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantAscorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Callus Culture Extract
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Isoamyl Laurate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Carbomer, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Isohexadecane, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Polyurethane Crosspolymer-1, Dimethiconol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, Retinol, Sorbitan Oleate, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Ferulic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenylpropanol, CI 19140, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Callus Culture Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Ethyl Olivate
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlycerin
Humectant
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Propylene Glycol, Isostearyl Isostearate, Ethyl Olivate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycerin, Triheptanoin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Bisabolol, Saccharide Isomerate, Jojoba Esters, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Tocopherol, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Polyglycerin-3, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 StearateTocopherol 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.
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
