What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientJojoba Esters
Emollient
C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningMicrococcus Lysate
Skin ConditioningSalvia Sclarea Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Lactis Proteinum
Skin ConditioningAstrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Lecithin
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingErgothioneine
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trehalose
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Jojoba Esters, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Glycerin, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Caffeine, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Micrococcus Lysate, Salvia Sclarea Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Lactis Proteinum, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Phytosterols, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Lecithin, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Glycine Soja Protein, Ergothioneine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trehalose, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77891, Mica
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Linoleate
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Linolenate
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Glyceryl Palmitate
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Glucoside
EmollientVanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Methyl Gluceth-20, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Linoleate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Bakuchiol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Benzoic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, Glyceryl Linolenate, Glyceryl Oleate, Glyceryl Palmitate, Glycine Soja Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Glucoside, Vanilla Tahitensis Fruit Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholCaprylyl 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 GlycolDimethicone 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 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
