What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Pramoxine Hydrochloride 1%
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingZinc Citrate
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingArginine PCA
HumectantMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dipotassium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPramoxine Hydrochloride 1%, Water, Isopropyl Myristate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Allantoin, Potassium Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Zinc Citrate, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Arginine PCA, Myristic Acid, Sodium PCA, Cholesterol, Palmitic Acid, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Dipotassium Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Alcohol Denat., Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Cocoglycerides, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Milk Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate
Reviews
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 CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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.
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 HydroxideTocopheryl 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
