What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
Emulsifying
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Callicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningOpuntia Tuna Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract
Astringent
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Laminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientSodium Lactate
Buffering
Porphyridium Cruentum Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyaspartate
HumectantSorbitol
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Sucrose
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Isoceteth-20
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingT-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Parfum
Masking
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Glycerin, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Callicarpa Japonica Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Whey Protein, Opuntia Tuna Fruit Extract, Acetyl Glucosamine, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Caffeine, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Sodium Lactate, Porphyridium Cruentum Extract, Sodium Polyaspartate, Sorbitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium PCA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Sucrose, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Pentylene Glycol, Isoceteth-20, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, T-Butyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Parfum, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingMenthoxypropanediol
Masking
Methyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Niacinamide, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Caprylyl Methicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Adenosine, Capryloyl Glycine, Menthoxypropanediol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lactate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Stearyl Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideSodium Lactate is the sodium salt of lactic acid, an AHA. It is a humectant and sometimes used to adjust the pH of a product.
This ingredient is part of our skin's NMF, or natural moisturizing factor. Our NMF is essential for the hydration of our top skin layers and plasticity of skin. NMF also influences our skin's natural acid mantle and pH, which protects our skin from harmful bacteria.
High percentages of Sodium Lactate can have an exfoliating effect.
Fun fact: Sodium Lactate is produced from fermented sugar.
Learn more about Sodium LactateT-Butyl Alcohol it is most commonly used as a solvent.
At room temperature, T-Butyl Alcohol melts and has a similar smell to camphor.
This ingredient is derived from isobutane. It is the simplest form of a tertiary alcohol. Due to its chemical structure, it is more resistant to oxidation.
Some sources online claim T-Butyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. However, it is not considered one due to its chemical structure.
Learn more about T-Butyl AlcoholTocopheryl 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
