What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer
Disteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Copernicia Cerifera Wax
Triethanolamine
BufferingAcrylates Copolymer
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Polyvinyl Alcohol
Lecithin
Emollient
Propylene Carbonate
SolventPolyethylene
Abrasive
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Cleansing
Trisodium EDTA
Simethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Iron Oxides
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ultramarines
Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Ammonium Acrylates Copolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Propylene Glycol, Stearic Acid, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Triethanolamine, Acrylates Copolymer, Synthetic Wax, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Lecithin, Propylene Carbonate, Polyethylene, Oleic Acid, Alcohol Denat., Benzyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Trisodium EDTA, Simethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Iron Oxides, Titanium Dioxide, Ultramarines
Water
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Palmitate
EmulsifyingAminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Paraffin
Perfuming
Cetyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cera Alba, Jojoba Esters, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearyl Stearate, Stearyl Palmitate, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Paraffin, Cetyl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Behenic Acid, Cera Microcristallina, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Sodium Phosphate, CI 77499
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 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.
Stearic 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 AcidTocopherol 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
