What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Urea, Lanolin Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientPetrolatum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hexyldecyl Stearate
EmollientButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Centaurium Erythraea Extract
Skin ConditioningAlgae Extract
EmollientMicrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicErgothioneine
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Soy Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningAminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Isohexadecane
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Calcium Chloride
AstringentHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Hexyldecyl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycereth-26, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Centaurium Erythraea Extract, Algae Extract, Micrococcus Lysate, Glycine Soja Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Yeast Extract, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Caffeine, Biotin, Ergothioneine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Soy Amino Acids, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactis Proteinum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Isohexadecane, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Myristyl Alcohol, Tromethamine, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Citric Acid, Hexylene Glycol, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Chloride, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 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 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 StearatePetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum may not be safe for fungal-acne. Studies show mineral oil / petroleum leads to the growth of M. Furfur, a type of yeast.
However, it’s worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Fungal acne isn’t about comedogenic ratings. It’s more about whether certain ingredients can feed the yeast on your skin, which can trigger those breakouts.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
