What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-13 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Zinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Silica
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingC30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientBakuchiol
AntimicrobialSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantXylitol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingFructooligosaccharides
HumectantMannitol
HumectantPropyl Gallate
AntioxidantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGinkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRhamnose
HumectantLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, Citric Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Zinc Gluconate, Salicylic Acid, Arachidyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Silica, Xanthan Gum, Arachidyl Glucoside, C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Squalane, Bakuchiol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Xylitol, Propylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Fructooligosaccharides, Mannitol, Propyl Gallate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Rhamnose, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Isononanoate
EmollientPolymethyl Methacrylate
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDiglycerin
HumectantSteareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBrassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialParfum
MaskingIsohexadecane
EmollientPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningO-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTromethamine
BufferingAsiaticoside
AntioxidantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningRaspberry Seed Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters
Skin ConditioningBiosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantSorbitan Oleate
EmulsifyingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Squalane, Glycerin, Diglycerin, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Chlorphenesin, Parfum, Isohexadecane, Phytosphingosine, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Polysorbate 80, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tromethamine, Asiaticoside, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Raspberry Seed Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sorbitan Oleate, Disodium Phosphate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 StearateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Squalane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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