What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Caprylyl Glycol, Bakuchiol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
C9-12 Alkane
SolventVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Algin
Masking
Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Emollient
Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
Antioxidant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingCalcium Citrate
BufferingArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Arginine
Masking
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Papain
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Water, Squalane, Glycerin, C9-12 Alkane, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Arachidyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Algin, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Glycolic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Calcium Citrate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Triethyl Citrate, Arginine, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Phytate, Tocopherol, Papain, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, 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.
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 GlycolCetearyl 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 GlycerinSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may feed that yeast, so it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
