What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Dibutyl Adipate
EmollientTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Aluminum Hydroxide
EmollientTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Citrus Medica Peel Oil
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Zinc Oxide, Dibutyl Adipate, Titanium Dioxide, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Jojoba Esters, Glyceryl Stearate, Allantoin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Stearic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Citrus Medica Peel Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Ceramide EOP, Polyglycerin-3, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Diethylhexyl Carbonate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingIsostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyacrylamide
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingDiglucosyl Gallic Acid
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
C9-11 Pareth-6
EmulsifyingTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Extract, Propylene Glycol, Diethylhexyl Carbonate, Dimethicone, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Isostearyl Isostearate, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyacrylamide, Sodium Benzoate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Chlorphenesin, C13-14 Isoparaffin, BHT, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Hyaluronic Acid, Triethanolamine, Diglucosyl Gallic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, C9-11 Pareth-6, Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCeramide NP (formerly known as Ceramide 3) is one of the skin's naturally occurring lipids.
Since ceramides are the major lipid components of the skin, they are crucial for maintaining skin barrier and hydration. Ceramide NP most closely mirrors the dominant kind in human skin amongst ceramide subtypes.
This ceramide works by slotting into gaps within the stratum corneum's lipid matrix to limit trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) and shield the skin against external irritants.
A study with 312 patients found that using a ceramide-containing routine for 4 weeks reduced the severity of atopic dermatitis by over 61%.
Another clinical study in subjects aged 60 and older found that a ceramide body wash and moisturizer improved skin dryness and itchy skin in 15 days.
Overall, ceramides are considered non-irritating and safety tests have found little to no observable adverse effects from using this ingredient.
Ceramide NP is usually sourced from plants (like soybean or rice bran), or produced synthetically.
Learn more about Ceramide NPCetearyl 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 AlcoholCholesterol is a lipid that is naturally found in human skin and is one of the three key components of your skin barrier. In skincare, it is an emollient and barrier-repairing ingredient.
It works by fitting directly into the lipid layers of skin to help restore structure and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
This is a great ingredient for dry, compromised, or aging skin; our skin starts to produce less cholesterol with age.
Research shows cholesterol works best in combination with ceramides and fatty acids, the other two major components in your skin barrier.
Cholesterol is also a well-establish penetration enhancer and can help other actives absorb more effectively.
Cosmetic-grade cholesterol is usually derived from lanolin but plant and synthetic options also exist. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about their source of cholesterol.
Learn more about CholesterolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopheryl 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 AcetateTriethoxycaprylylsilane is a silicon-based surface modifier that makes sunscreens feel silky and makeup stay put.
Its main job is to coat mineral particles like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and color pigments in a thin, oily layer so they spread smoothly, don't clump, and stick to skin better.
This ingredient is typically used at low levels (up to 2.5% in eyeshadow and 1% in lipstick).
Learn more about TriethoxycaprylylsilaneWater. 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
