What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingUrea
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPalmitic Acid
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningBee Venom
AstringentCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantAlthaea Rosea Root Extract
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningLauric Acid
CleansingMyristic Acid
CleansingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningPlantago Asiatica Extract
Skin ConditioningDiospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentUlmus Campestris Bark Extract
AstringentLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingAdenosine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingLecithin
EmollientWater, Butylene Glycol, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Niacinamide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Urea, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Bee Venom, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Althaea Rosea Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Beta-Glucan, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Ulmus Campestris Bark Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Adenosine, Polysorbate 20, Lecithin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
EmollientCeteareth-20
CleansingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Methylparaben
PreservativeSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingPropylparaben
PreservativeHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-20, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Methylparaben, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Disodium EDTA, Dipotassium Phosphate, Propylparaben, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 GlycerinPolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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