What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glucosyl Ceramide
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Glycosphingolipids
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Alpha-Glucan
HumectantResveratrol
Antioxidant
Epigallocatechin Gallate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingSodium PCA
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract
Antioxidant
Quercetin
Antioxidant
Astaxanthin
Skin Conditioning
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Brassica Campestris Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, C10-18 Triglycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Beta-Sitosterol, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Oleic Acid, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Glucosyl Ceramide, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Glycosphingolipids, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Alpha-Glucan, Resveratrol, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Sodium PCA, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Sorbitan Isostearate, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Quercetin, Astaxanthin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Dextrin, Palmitic Acid, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Lactate, Stearic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Brassica Campestris Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Polysorbate 60, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glucosyl Hesperidin
HumectantBiosaccharide Gum-1
Humectant
Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract
Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Fructose
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingWater, Propylene Glycol, Squalane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Niacinamide, Saccharide Isomerate, Caprylyl Methicone, Pentylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Extract, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Pod Extract, Helianthus Annuus Sprout Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Fructose, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Parfum, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Squalane 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
