What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientOctyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate
EmollientC15-19 Alkane
SolventSilica
AbrasiveSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningCyclotetrapeptide-24 Aminocyclohexane Carboxylate
AntioxidantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin ConditioningFucus Vesiculosus Extract
EmollientHordeum Vulgare Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ag
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingLecithin
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCholesterol
EmollientTrehalose
HumectantIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientMaltodextrin
AbsorbentCitric Acid
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
2,3-Butanediol
Humectant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Squalane, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, C15-19 Alkane, Silica, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Cyclotetrapeptide-24 Aminocyclohexane Carboxylate, Beta-Glucan, Ectoin, Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide Ag, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Cholesterol, Trehalose, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Maltodextrin, Citric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 2,3-Butanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Benzoate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlycol Distearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
EmollientTerminalia Arjuna Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantChrysin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantN-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningSteareth-20
CleansingLecithin
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glycol Distearate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Oleic Acid, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Chrysin, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Titanium Dioxide, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Steareth-20, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearateLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinWater. 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