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 ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantBisabolol
Antioxidant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract
TonicLecithin
Emollient
Cutaneous Lysate
MoisturisingTetrapeptide-21
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Capryloyl Carnosine
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Squalene
Emollient
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-8, Bisabolol, Caffeine, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Fagus Sylvatica Bud Extract, Lecithin, Cutaneous Lysate, Tetrapeptide-21, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Capryloyl Carnosine, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocotrienols, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 Acetate, Ascorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, Squalene, Phytosterols, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Hexylene Glycol, Saccharide Isomerate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateTocopherol 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 Water
