What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 40
Emulsifying
PEG-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Tea-Stearate
CleansingPerfluorodecalin
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Taraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract
Skin ProtectingYeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPoloxamer 188
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Palmitic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 40, PEG-2 Stearate, Tea-Stearate, Perfluorodecalin, Saccharide Isomerate, Taraxacum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract, Yeast Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citric Acid, Polyperfluoromethylisopropyl Ether, Poloxamer 188, Caprylyl Glycol, P-Anisic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialStearic Acid
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Stearate
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sodium Hyaluronate, Porphyra Umbilicalis Extract, Sorghum Bicolor Stalk Juice, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCetyl 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Propylene 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 GlycolSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic 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
