What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
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Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetyl Palmitate
EmollientMethyl Palmitate
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningVegetable Oil
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent4-T-Butylcyclohexanol
MaskingGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPantolactone
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingColloidal Oatmeal 1%
AbsorbentWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingOctyldodecanol
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingGlycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePiroctone Olamine
PreservativeCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingCitric Acid
BufferingColloidal Oatmeal 1%, Water, Glycerin, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Cetyl Palmitate, PEG-40 Stearate, Glycyrrhiza Inflata Root Extract, Ceramide NP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Piroctone Olamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Benzyl Alcohol, Citric Acid
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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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetyl Palmitate is a wax-ester that pulls triple duty as an emollient, thickener, and emulsion enhancer.
It helps enhance the texture of products by giving a smooth, silky feel while helping to stabilize the formula. The emollient action softens skin and reduces moisture loss.
This ingredient is considered safe and human testing of concentrations between 2.5-2.7% were found minimal irritation. Just know, there have been very rare cases of the palmitate family causing contact dermatitis.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it contains a C16 ester (palmitic acid) that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Cetyl PalmitateCitric 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 GlycerinThis ingredient comes from the Chinese licorice species, Glycyrrhiza Inflata. It has skin conditioning, soothing, and antioxidant properties.
The flavonoids in this ingredient show anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities in lab studies. These compounds may also play a role in supporting a more even skin tone and helping to control microbial activity on acne-prone skin.
Water. 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