What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyacrylamide
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
4-Terpineol
Masking
Succinic Acid
BufferingMadecassoside
Antioxidant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Triethanolamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventPEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Butylene Glycol, Garcinia Mangostana Peel Extract, Isononyl Isononanoate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Propylene Glycol, Polyacrylamide, Salix Alba Bark Extract, 4-Terpineol, Succinic Acid, Madecassoside, Salicylic Acid, Triethanolamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Methylpropanediol, PEG-40 Stearate, Ceteareth-20, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Citric Acid, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Sucrose Polystearate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCollybia Mushroom Extract
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Angelica Archangelica Root Extract
Masking
Rosa Multiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Phenyl Trimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Dicaprylyl Ether, Sucrose Polystearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Propanediol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Allantoin, Glycine Soja Oil, Beta-Glucan, Acrylates/Stearyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Collybia Mushroom Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Angelica Archangelica Root Extract, Rosa Multiflora Root Extract, Ceramide NP, Phytosphingosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Tocopherol, Canola Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 StearateWater. 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
