What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Dimethicone
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
Buffering
Cholesterol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Lactate, Cholesterol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Phytosphingosine, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Benzoic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentSodium Lactate
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingOrmenis Multicaulis Oil
Masking
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Carum Petroselinum Seed Oil
Masking
Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Citrate
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Sodium Lactate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Citric Acid, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Cellulose Gum, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Sodium Gluconate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Carum Petroselinum Seed Oil, Pelvetia Canaliculata Extract, Sodium Citrate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol
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 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 GlycerinSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateWater. 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
