What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBrassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingXylitol
HumectantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingMannitol
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantRhamnose
HumectantXylitylglucoside
HumectantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAnhydroxylitol
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingGlucose
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Citrate, Xylitol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Mannitol, Tocopherol, Rhamnose, Xylitylglucoside, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Anhydroxylitol, Niacinamide, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientBetaine
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentDi-C12-13 Alkyl Malate
EmollientCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGlycosphingolipids
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLecithin
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
HumectantIsoceteth-25
EmulsifyingIsoceteth-10
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Betaine, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Panthenol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Ceramide NP, Glycosphingolipids, Cyclohexasiloxane, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isoceteth-25, Isoceteth-10, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerThis ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl 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 GlycerinWater. 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