What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Cocoate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Arginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Alanine
Masking
Carnitine
Cleansing
Glycine
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDimethicone
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Urea, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethylhexyl Cocoate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Octyldodecanol, Sodium Lactate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Distarch Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Lactic Acid, Arginine Hcl, Sodium PCA, Cholesterol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Alanine, Carnitine, Glycine, Sodium Chloride, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSodium Phosphate
BufferingDimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylate-13
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
2-Methyl 5-Cyclohexylpentanol
Skin ConditioningPolyisobutene
BHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Parfum
Masking
PEG-8
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Triethanolamine
BufferingBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Petrolatum
Emollient
Water, Urea, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Phosphate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Disodium Phosphate, Citric Acid, 2-Methyl 5-Cyclohexylpentanol, Polyisobutene, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Parfum, PEG-8, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Triethanolamine, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Petrolatum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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
