What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Propylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Allantoin, Lactic Acid, Parfum, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientPPG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether
EmollientPEG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingMicrocrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeGlycine Soja Sterols
EmollientArgilla
AbrasiveXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
HumectantAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientLecithin
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin ConditioningCI 40800
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Stearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Myristyl Alcohol, PPG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether, PEG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Microcrystalline Wax, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Argilla, Xanthan Gum, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Lecithin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, CI 40800
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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 GlycolStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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