What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentRubus Idaeus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPetrolatum
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Dimethicone, Parfum, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Petrolatum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Stearic Acid, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Citronellol, Hydroxycitronellal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
PEG-10 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sucrose
Humectant
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Dimethicone, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caffeine, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Trehalose, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sucrose, Hexylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, CI 14700, CI 19140
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene 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.
Tocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
