What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHomosalate
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyloctyl Salicylate
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialOctocrylene
UV Absorber
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Cellulose
Absorbent
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantTromethamine
BufferingSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Disodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Diospyros Mespiliformis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Sanicula Europaea Extract
Skin ConditioningMyrothamnus Flabellifolia Extract
HumectantCitric Acid
Buffering
Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningFurcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Maris Sal
Skin ConditioningCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantPolyvinyl Alcohol
Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14
Skin Conditioning
Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Homosalate, Glycerin, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Dimethicone, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Octocrylene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Parfum, Cellulose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dipsacus Sylvestris Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, CI 77891, Tromethamine, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethiconol, Tocopherol, Butylene Glycol, Diospyros Mespiliformis Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Sanicula Europaea Extract, Myrothamnus Flabellifolia Extract, Citric Acid, Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Ascorbic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Maris Sal, CI 14700, CI 17200, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Copper Palmitoyl Heptapeptide-14, Heptapeptide-15 Palmitate
Water
Skin ConditioningTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Dibutyl Adipate, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Coco-Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium EDTA, Benzoic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Citronellol, Linalool, Geraniol, Citral
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
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 DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopheryl 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
