What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEpilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzoic Acid, Carbomer, Dehydroacetic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Epilobium Angustifolium Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Metabisulfite, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Homosalate
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Squalane
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSteareth-100
Gel FormingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Octocrylene, Homosalate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Squalane, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Silica, Octyldodecanol, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Steareth-100, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Ectoin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Myristic Acid, Mentha Piperita Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Linalool, Salicylic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
