What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventNiacinamide
SmoothingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantDimethyl Isosorbide
SolventSqualane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingCalcium Gluconate
HumectantWater, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Gluconolactone, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Benzoate, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbitan Isostearate, Calcium Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeSqualane
EmollientGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSilica
AbrasiveDimethiconol
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
HumectantPolyurethane Crosspolymer-1
Glucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantIsoceteth-10
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingRetinol
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingPEG-8
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientPhenylpropanol
MaskingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantOpuntia Ficus-Indica Callus Culture Extract
AntioxidantWater, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Squalane, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Polysorbate 60, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Silica, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Polyurethane Crosspolymer-1, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Isoceteth-10, Sodium Hydroxide, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenethyl Alcohol, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenylpropanol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, CI 19140, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Callus Culture Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinThis 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.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
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 60Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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