What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Mannitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Rhamnose
HumectantFructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Beeswax, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Mannitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Fructooligosaccharides, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Allantoin, Sodium PCA, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingCera Alba
Emollient
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-10
Emulsifying
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Triethanolamine, Cera Alba, Cetyl Palmitate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Steareth-10, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, 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
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 GlycolGlyceryl 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 StearateParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolStearic 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 AcidTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
