What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHydrogenated Lanolin
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride
EmollientCeteth-20
CleansingEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Decyloxazolidinone
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Steareth-25
CleansingMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-21
CleansingTetrasodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlgin
Masking
Xylitol
Humectant
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Hydrogenated Lanolin, Squalane, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric/Succinic Triglyceride, Ceteth-20, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Betaine, Decyloxazolidinone, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Parfum, Steareth-25, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Steareth-21, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Xylitylglucoside, Sorbitol, Linalool, Anhydroxylitol, Sodium Hydroxide, Algin, Xylitol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Cellulose Gum, Tocopherol, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Didecene
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningAngelica Archangelica Root Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientRubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCanola Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Ricinoleate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Triceteareth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Laureth-3
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPerfluorodecalin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Buddleja Davidii Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycosphingolipids
EmollientSucrose Palmitate
EmollientThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Hydrogenated Didecene, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Bisabolol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Angelica Archangelica Root Water, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Canola Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Silica, Zea Mays Starch, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Laureth-3, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Perfluorodecalin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Glycosphingolipids, Sucrose Palmitate, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Trideceth-6, Xanthan Gum, Biotin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 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 HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
