What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingBetaine
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingDimethicone
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Parfum
MaskingPropylene Glycol
HumectantCellulose
AbsorbentCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantPolysilicone-11
Chlorphenesin
AntimicrobialTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Eryngium Maritimum Extract
TonicMarrubium Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingDecyl Glucoside
CleansingFurcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningArbutus Unedo Fruit Extract
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantLapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningMaris Sal
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Tetrapeptide-2
Skin ConditioningDextran
Water, Dicaprylyl Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Parfum, Propylene Glycol, Cellulose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Polysilicone-11, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Eryngium Maritimum Extract, Marrubium Vulgare Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Arbutus Unedo Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Lapsana Communis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Maris Sal, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-2, Dextran
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Ether
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantOctyldodecanol
EmollientTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantUrea
BufferingBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer
Cetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningMenthyl Lactate
MaskingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingLecithin
EmollientCitric Acid
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer
Melilotus Officinalis Extract
AstringentTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantGynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningWater, Dicaprylyl Ether, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Triheptanoin, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Hydroxyacetophenone, Urea, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glycerin, Dilinoleic Acid/Butanediol Copolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Menthyl Lactate, Trideceth-6, Lecithin, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Castor Oil/Ipdi Copolymer, Melilotus Officinalis Extract, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Leaf Extract, Cyanocobalamin, Oligopeptide-1, Oligopeptide-2
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene 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 GlycolCaprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlucosideDicaprylyl Ether is created from caprylic acid. It is a texture-enhancer and emollient.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Ether is non-comedogenic. It helps soften and smooth the skin by creating a barrier on top. This barrier helps trap moisture in, helping to hydrate the skin.
Dicaprylyl Ether gives a non-greasy feel and better spreadability to products.
Learn more about Dicaprylyl EtherGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPropylene 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 GlycolTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
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.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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