What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientErythritol
HumectantGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientHomarine Hcl
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium PCA
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Erythritol, Glycine Soja Oil, Homarine Hcl, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium PCA, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCholesterol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Isopropyl Myristate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Cholesterol, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Isopropyl Myristate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phytosphingosine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 HydroxideWater. 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