What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Avena Sativa Kernel Meal 1%
Abrasive
Water
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sorbitol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Meal 1%, Water, Allantoin, Arginine, Behenyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Ethylene Dicocamide PEG-15 Disulfate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sorbitol, Tocopheryl Acetate
Colloidal Oatmeal 2%
Absorbent
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialTribehenin
Emollient
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingEDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-10 Phytosterol
EmulsifyingMethylparaben
Preservative
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Colloidal Oatmeal 2%, Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Isohexadecane, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Ceramide Ng, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Tribehenin, Potassium Hydroxide, EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-10 Phytosterol, Methylparaben, Polysorbate 60, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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 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 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 StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolTocopheryl Acetate is a stable, shelf-friendly form of vitamin E.
Formulators love it because plain vitamin E oxidizes quickly once it hits air. This acetate version stays stable and resists going off, helping to extend a product's shelf life.
It's actually inactive on its own and works like a slow-release "storage" form; the enzymes in your skin called esterases gradually convert it into active vitamin E over time.
One in vivo study showed 5% of the acetate in the living layer of the epidermis converted to vitamin E after 5 days of application. This study also found the skin gained protection against UV damage even though the conversion was slow and small.
Once converted, vitamin E acts as a skin's main fat-soluble antioxidant that fights free radicals to protect skin from damage.
Topical vitamin E generally boosts the skin's photoprotection, and it reduced UV-damage in animal models.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
Overall, it has a pretty solid safety profile and has been found to be non-irritating and non-comedogenic. Allergic reactions may happen but stay rare due to how widely the ingredient gets used.
The concentration will vary depending on the formula; industry data shows 0.1% in baby lotions, 3% in lipsticks, and 5% in foot powders. You can also find this ingredient at 100% in a pure vitamin E oil.
Most leave-on skincare keeps it at the lower end, often between 0.5-1%.
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 Water
