What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Nephelium Lappaceum Branch/Fruit/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPsidium Guajava Fruit Extract
AstringentGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Quaternium-80
Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Pseudozyma Epicola/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil/Camellia Japonica Seed Oil/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil/Sunflower Seed Oil/Sweet Almond Oil Ferment Extract
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCoumarin
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ficus Carica Fruit Extract
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Nephelium Lappaceum Branch/Fruit/Leaf Extract, Psidium Guajava Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Quaternium-80, Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, Potassium Sorbate, Pseudozyma Epicola/Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil/Camellia Japonica Seed Oil/Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil/Sunflower Seed Oil/Sweet Almond Oil Ferment Extract, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Caramel, Coumarin, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Linalool, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C15-19 Alkane
SolventSqualane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glycol Palmitate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Acetic Acid
BufferingAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Xylitol
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, C15-19 Alkane, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Niacinamide, Glycol Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Coco-Glucoside, Acetic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Anhydroxylitol, Caffeine, Chrysin, Diheptyl Succinate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactic Acid, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Pentylene Glycol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Xylitol, Xylitylglucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 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 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateTocopherol 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
