What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientStearyl Heptanoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Olivate
Trehalose
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Polyethylene
Abrasive
Disodium EDTA
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Isohexadecane, Stearyl Heptanoate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Olivate, Trehalose, Squalane, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Silica, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Panthenol, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyethylene, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Pallida Leaf Cell Extract
Antioxidant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Myristyl Myristate, Isopropyl Myristate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Betaine, Arginine, Sodium PCA, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Iris Pallida Leaf Cell Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic 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 AcidWater. 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
