What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tartaric Acid
Buffering
Retinyl Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Albumen
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Malic Acid
Buffering
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningResveratrol Dimethyl Ether
Antioxidant
Galactoarabinan
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Cananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningBHA
Antioxidant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
BHT
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Polysorbate 60, Lactic Acid, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tartaric Acid, Retinyl Acetate, Albumen, Cetyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Malic Acid, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Retinol, Pichia/Resveratrol Ferment Extract, Resveratrol Dimethyl Ether, Galactoarabinan, Proline, Retinyl Palmitate, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Allantoin, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Tocopherol, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Alcohol, Citric Acid, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Sorbate, Limonene, Sodium Gluconate, BHA, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Alcohol Denat., BHT, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract
Masking
Coumarin
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cyclodextrin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Retinal, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Polyaspartate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, BHT, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract, Coumarin, CI 14700, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTCetearyl 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 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.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Stearic 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 AcidTocopheryl 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
