What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Madecassoside, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Tocopherol
Citrus Junos Fruit Water
Masking
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Arginine
Masking
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Bioflavonoids
Skin ConditioningBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentCitrus Junos Fruit Water, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Water, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycerin, Isoamyl Laurate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sorbitan Olivate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Propanediol, Arginine, P-Anisic Acid, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Bioflavonoids, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinTocopherol 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
