What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV Absorber
Dimethicone
Emollient
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid
UV Absorber
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Isohexadecane
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Tapioca Starch
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
PEG-100 Stearate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Triacontanyl Pvp
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingUrea
Buffering
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Water, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Dimethicone, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Niacinamide, Isohexadecane, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Tapioca Starch, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydroxyacetophenone, PEG-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sorbitan Olivate, Triacontanyl Pvp, Carbomer, Urea, Decyl Glucoside, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Bisabolol, Squalane, Propylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
C11-13 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingAluminum Chlorohydrate
AstringentArbutin
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Hamamelis Virginiana Flower Water
AstringentNiacinamide
Smoothing
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Water, Glycerin, Betaine, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Proline, Cyclohexasiloxane, C11-13 Isoparaffin, Xanthan Gum, Tocopheryl Acetate, Trideceth-6, Aluminum Chlorohydrate, Arbutin, Glutathione, Hamamelis Virginiana Flower Water, Niacinamide, Propylene Glycol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glyceryl 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 StearateNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Propylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolWater. 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
