What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Avena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Equisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentPelargonium Graveolens Extract
Masking
Taraxacum Officinale Extract
Skin ConditioningArnica Montana Flower Oil
Perfuming
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aspartic Acid
Masking
Arginine
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Stearate
CleansingEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Niacinamide, Sodium Lactate, Hyaluronic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Pelargonium Graveolens Extract, Taraxacum Officinale Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Oil, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Extract, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Calophyllum Inophyllum Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Aspartic Acid, Arginine, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Panthenol, Beeswax, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Stearate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Alcohol, Sodium Carbomer, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Disodium EDTA
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Citrate
BufferingAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingMica
Cosmetic ColorantMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Propylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Citrate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Tocopherol, Cetyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, Silica, Carbomer, CI 77891, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Mica, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Stearic Acid, Tin Oxide, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Alcohol, Citronellol, Limonene, Linalool, CI 15985, CI 19140, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 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
