What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCucumis Sativus Fruit Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingLecithin
EmollientPullulan
Glycerin
HumectantCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sorbitan Trioleate
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTanacetum Vulgare Extract
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
EmollientCamellia Japonica Seed Oil
EmollientMentha Piperita Extract
CleansingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientApium Graveolens Seed Extract
AntioxidantLinum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
PerfumingWater, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Water, Squalane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Arginine, Lecithin, Pullulan, Glycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sorbitan Trioleate, Sodium Phytate, Sclerotium Gum, Tanacetum Vulgare Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Mentha Piperita Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientCyclomethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingLecithin
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLauryl Alcohol
EmollientMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSorbic Acid
PreservativeCamellia Sinensis Polyphenols
AntioxidantResveratrol
AntioxidantCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Flower
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Squalane, Cyclomethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caffeine, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Polyphenols, Resveratrol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Flower, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholThis extract comes from cucumber. Cucumbers are mostly made up of water (95%), and the other 5% is composed of: vitamin C, caffeic acid, fatty acids, amino acids, and other minerals.
Cucumbers have anti-inflammatory, barrier repair, and hydrating properties.
They contain shikimate dehydrigenase, an enzyme shown to help reduce inflammation and soothe the skin.
The amino acids found in cucumbers help nourish our skin's natural acid mantle (it's an important part of our skin barrier). This slightly acidic film acts as a barrier to protect us from bacteria, viruses, and other contaminants.
Unless you have an allergy to cucumbers, this is generally a non-irritating ingredient.
Fun fact: Cucumis Sativus is native to South Asia and can now be found on every continent.
Learn more about Cucumis Sativus Fruit ExtractGlyceryl 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.
Learn more about LecithinSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, itâs technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term âoil-freeâ isnât regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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