What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Yucca Schidigera Stem Extract
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingOryza Sativa Kernel
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Oryza Sativa Germ Extract
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Water, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Diisostearyl Malate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Glucose, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Oryza Sativa Germ Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phytosphingosine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, Oleic Acid, Maltodextrin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Astaxanthin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Lactic Acid, Cyanocobalamin, Sodium Citrate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilWater. 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
