What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantGlycereth-26
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Trehalose
Humectant
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingOlea Europaea Fruit Extract
BleachingTriticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningCladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water
MaskingPEG-75
HumectantCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Pantethine
EmollientSorbitol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Oryzanol
Skin ConditioningBisabolol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDextrin
AbsorbentDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-8, Glycereth-26, Sucrose, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Trehalose, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Extract, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, PEG-75, Caffeine, Pantethine, Sorbitol, Butylene Glycol, Oryzanol, Bisabolol, Panthenol, Phytosterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexylene Glycol, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Dextrin, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 14700, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Shea Butter Ethyl Esters
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Disodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Niacinamide, Disodium Cetearyl Sulfosuccinate, Panthenol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hydroxide, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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 Water
