What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMica
Cosmetic ColorantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantBis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Grape Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOleic Acid
EmollientHydrogenated Avocado Oil
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTerminalia Arjuna Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantMagnolia Officinalis Bark Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
AntioxidantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientSodium Phytate
Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract
Caprylyl Glycol
EmollientAniba Rosodora Wood Extract
MaskingWater, Mica, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Zea Mays Starch, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Persea Gratissima Oil, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Oleic Acid, Hydrogenated Avocado Oil, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, CI 77891, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, CI 77491, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Tocopherol, Adenosine, Lecithin, Sodium Phytate, Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Aniba Rosodora Wood Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingCetearyl Olivate
Cetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaffeoyl Tripeptide-1
AntioxidantPlukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningSqualene
EmollientHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningLeontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRibose
HumectantGlycosphingolipids
EmollientHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientBuddleja Davidii Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLeucojum Aestivum Bulb Extract
Skin ProtectingNarcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract
AstringentUbiquinone
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSilica
AbrasiveLecithin
EmollientMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantPullulan
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAlcohol
AntimicrobialBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingDehydroacetic Acid
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Coco-Caprylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Jojoba Esters, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Saccharide Isomerate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caffeoyl Tripeptide-1, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Phytosterols, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Squalene, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Ceramide NP, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ribose, Glycosphingolipids, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Buddleja Davidii Leaf Extract, Leucojum Aestivum Bulb Extract, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Lecithin, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, Pullulan, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideCi 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
Synthetically created Ci 77491 is considered safer than those naturally found. This is because the synthetically created version may contain less impurities. Iron oxides are generally non-toxic and non-allergenic.
Learn more about CI 77491Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
It's main function is to add a white color to cosmetics. It can also be mixed with other colors to create different shades.
Ci 77891 is commonly found in sunscreens due to its ability to block UV rays.
Learn more about CI 77891Glycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaTocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum