What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Grape Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Wheat Straw Glycosides
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Juice
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Ethyl Oleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Water, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Palmitoyl Grape Seed Extract, Cetearyl Wheat Straw Glycosides, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera Juice, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningVinyldimethicone
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSorbitan Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientBroussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearates, Caprylyl Methicone, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid/Glycerin Crosspolymer, Vinyldimethicone, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Dimethiconol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Polyisobutene, Caprylyl Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Oleate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Cholesterol, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Morifolium Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin
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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
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 GlycerinPotassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
