What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
CI 52015
Benzotriazole
AntimicrobialTetrabutyl Ethylidenebisphenol
Antioxidant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate
Emulsifying
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Hexyl Benzoate
Perfuming
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Steareth-21
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Faex
Skin ConditioningKalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Vinyl Dimethicone/Lauryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
BHT
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Alcohol, CI 52015, Benzotriazole, Tetrabutyl Ethylidenebisphenol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Polyglyceryl-6 Oleate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Hexyl Benzoate, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Steareth-21, Propanediol, Faex, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Jojoba Esters, Vinyl Dimethicone/Lauryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Ectoin, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, BHT, 1,2-Hexanediol, Maltodextrin
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, 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.
Steareth-21 is a nonionic emulsifier made by reacting stearyl alcohol with 21 units of ethylene oxide. It is mainly a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
The "21" in the name just tells you it has a longer water-loving chain. This makes it more gentle and less likely to irritate skin compared to lower-numbered steareths.
You'll most likely see it paired with steareth-2 because the two work together to create stable formulations.
1,4-dioxane is often brought up as a concern but this is usually removed through purification.
Learn more about Steareth-21Water. 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
