What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
EmollientDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantLaminaria Digitata Extract
Skin ProtectingCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPolyglutamic Acid
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
AbsorbentOryza Sativa Bran Water
MaskingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingXylitylglucoside
HumectantAnhydroxylitol
HumectantXylitol
HumectantBHT
AntioxidantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion StabilisingC12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hyaluronic Acid, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglutamic Acid, Lactobacillus, Maltodextrin, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingStearic Acid
CleansingGlycerin
HumectantSodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate
CleansingGlycol Stearate
EmollientPEG-10 Glyceryl Stearate
EmulsifyingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientParfum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMenthol
MaskingTocopherol
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42053
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycol Stearate, PEG-10 Glyceryl Stearate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Menthol, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, CI 19140, CI 42053
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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDisodium 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 GlycerinStearic 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum