What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Royal Jelly Extract
Skin Conditioning
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Water, Butylene Glycol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Stearate, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Royal Jelly Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Oxygen
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningCetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCholesterol
Emollient
Polyglucuronic Acid
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
AbsorbentStearic Acid
Cleansing
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Polypropylene
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Steareth-30
CleansingLecithin
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Perfluorohexane
SolventChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Perfluoromethylcyclopentane
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Oxygen, Ceramide Ng, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Colloidal Oatmeal, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cholesterol, Polyglucuronic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, Stearic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polypropylene, Polysorbate 80, Steareth-30, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Perfluorohexane, Chlorphenesin, Perfluoromethylcyclopentane, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glyceryl 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 StearateLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate is a natural preservative. It comes from fermenting radish roots with a bacteria called leuconostoc. The trade name for this ingredient is Leucidal.
Leuconostoc comes from lactic acid.
This ingredient has antimicrobial properties and helps prevent the growth of bacteria in a product.
Leuconostoc is used to make the traditional Korean side-dish, kimchi. It is also used to make sourdough bread (both incredibly yummy foods).
Learn more about Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment FiltratePhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic 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
