What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientDibutyl Adipate
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientLeontopodium Alpinum Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingHydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Lees Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Hydrolyzed Soy Flour
Skin ConditioningBuddleja Davidii Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Extract
Perfuming
Water, Propanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Glycerin, Beeswax, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Isohexadecane, Leontopodium Alpinum Extract, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Oryza Sativa Lees Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-Hexanediol, Adenosine, Sorbitan Oleate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Hydrolyzed Soy Flour, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Superoxide Dismutase
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
Emulsifying
Zea Mays Kernel Extract
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Echinacea Purpurea Extract
MoisturisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
TonicAscorbic Acid/Orange/Citrus Limon/Citrus Aurantifolia Polypeptides
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Isocetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Glycine
Buffering
Palmitoyl Carnitine
Skin ConditioningPCA
Humectant
Alanine
Masking
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLecithin
Emollient
Polyquaternium-24
PEG-8
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Water, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Myristyl Myristate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sorbitol, Stearic Acid, PEG-40 Stearate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Superoxide Dismutase, Ceramide NP, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Ascorbic Acid/Orange/Citrus Limon/Citrus Aurantifolia Polypeptides, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isocetyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hcl, Proline, Glycine, Palmitoyl Carnitine, PCA, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Serine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Lecithin, Polyquaternium-24, PEG-8, Butylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Diazolidinyl Urea, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl 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
