What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAzelaic Acid 15%
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Azelaic Acid 15%, Propanediol, Squalane, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide EOP
Azelaic Acid 17%
Buffering
Tranexamic Acid 4%
Astringent
Niacinamide 1%
Smoothing
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Bisulfate
Buffering
BHT
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Bis-Vinyldimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Ceteth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDisteardimonium Hectorite
StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Laureth-12
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Ozokerite
Emulsion StabilisingPEG-75 Stearate
Petrolatum
Emollient
Polysilicone-11
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Propylene Carbonate
SolventSilica
Abrasive
Silica Silylate
Emollient
Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate
CleansingSorbic Acid
Preservative
Steareth-20
CleansingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Azelaic Acid 17%, Tranexamic Acid 4%, Niacinamide 1%, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Bisulfate, BHT, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Bis-Vinyldimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Ceteth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Dimethicone, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Glyceryl Stearate, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Isododecane, Isopropyl Palmitate, Laureth-12, Lecithin, Ozokerite, PEG-75 Stearate, Petrolatum, Polysilicone-11, Potassium Sorbate, Propylene Carbonate, Silica, Silica Silylate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate, Sorbic Acid, Steareth-20, Titanium Dioxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Reviews
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidCetyl 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 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePEG-75 Stearate isn't fungal acne safe.
