What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Cetyl Alcohol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cellulose Gum, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Bakuchiol, Retinol, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialCitrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.485%
Masking
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Sodium Phytate
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Stearic Acid, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.485%, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glyceryl Caprylate, Xanthan Gum, Retinol, Phospholipids, Tocopherol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ferulic Acid, Sodium Phytate
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.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeRetinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolStearic 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
