What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventDimethicone
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingCamellia Kissi Seed Oil
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientMethyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeBoron Nitride
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSorbitan Laurate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantHydrolyzed Silk
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin ConditioningPhytic Acid
Sodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingHydrochloric Acid
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Alcohol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Triethylhexanoin, Camellia Kissi Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Ipomoea Batatas Root Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Boron Nitride, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Hydrolyzed Silk, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Phytic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Citrate, Hydrochloric Acid, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, CI 14700, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDimethicone
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantBetaine
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingMenthoxypropanediol
MaskingMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
AbsorbentCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSodium Lactate
BufferingT-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingDimethiconol
EmollientStearyl Dimethicone
EmollientChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Niacinamide, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Caprylyl Methicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Adenosine, Capryloyl Glycine, Menthoxypropanediol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lactate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Stearyl Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
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