What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ammonia
Buffering
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Cholesterol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycolic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Dimethicone, Ammonia, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Cholesterol, Squalane, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Octadecyl Di-T-Butyl-4-Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisiloxane
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Thiodipropionic Acid
Skin ConditioningPhytol
Emollient
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharomyces/Malachite Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Tourmaline Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment
Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Ammonium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Parfum
Masking
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tiliacora Triandra Leaf/Vine Extract
Antioxidant
Thiazolylalanine
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Isomalt
HumectantLecithin
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Lysyl Aminovaleroyl Lysine
Skin ConditioningPEG-150 Distearate
Emulsifying
Steareth-20
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Sd Alcohol 40-B
Astringent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycolic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Trisiloxane, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Thiodipropionic Acid, Phytol, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Cell Extract, Saccharomyces/Malachite Ferment, Saccharomyces/Tourmaline Ferment, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Saccharomyces/Copper Ferment, Saccharomyces/Magnesium Ferment, Saccharomyces/Zinc Ferment, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Phenyl Trimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Ammonium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Glucoside, Silica, Parfum, Dimethiconol, Maltodextrin, Tiliacora Triandra Leaf/Vine Extract, Thiazolylalanine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Isomalt, Lecithin, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Palmitoyl Lysyl Aminovaleroyl Lysine, PEG-150 Distearate, Steareth-20, Disodium EDTA, Sd Alcohol 40-B, Phenoxyethanol, Caramel, CI 14700
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlycolic Acid is arguably the most famous alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) with tons of research backing its benefits.
It is found naturally in sugar cane but the form used in skincare is usually synthetic for purity and stability.
Glycolic acid removes the top layer of dead skin cells to allow newer and fresher ones to emerge.
AHAs work by breaking down the structural âglueâ that holds old skin cells in place. When that buildup is gone, your skin can renew itself more efficiently.
Research also shows glycolic acid stimulates collagen production, helping to firm and thicken the skin over time. This is one of its biggest advantages over other AHAs.
Overall, glycolic acid helps with:
Fun fact: Glycolic acid boosts skin hydration by helping it produce molecules that increase hyaluronic acid naturally.
To work best, glycolic acid products should have a pH between 3-4 (thatâs where exfoliation is most effective but still gentle on skin).
The pH and concentration of a product are key to its effectiveness:
It is normal to feel a slight stinging sensation when using glycolic acid. This usually fades as your skin adjusts.
Because glycolic acid has the smallest molecular size in the AHA family, it can penetrate deeper, which enhances its effectiveness but also makes it more likely to irritate sensitive skin.
If your skin is very sensitive or prone to rosacea, glycolic acid may be too strong; in that case, try milder options like lactic acid or a PHA instead.
Recent studies suggest glycolic acid might even help protect against UV damage. But donât skip sunscreen! Freshly exfoliated skin is more sensitive to the sun.
Glycolic acid is a skincare superstar. It smooths, brightens, hydrates, and firms the skin. Unless youâre highly sensitive, itâs well worth adding to your routine.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Glycolic AcidThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
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 60Water. 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
