What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSnail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningChrysanthemum Indicum Callus Culture Extract
AntioxidantSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingDimethicone
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningBetaine
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Chrysanthemum Indicum Callus Culture Extract, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Allantoin, Myristyl Alcohol, Cellulose Gum, Disodium EDTA, 1,2-Hexanediol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientCyclomethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingLecithin
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantLauryl Alcohol
EmollientMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSorbic Acid
PreservativeCamellia Sinensis Polyphenols
AntioxidantResveratrol
AntioxidantCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientBisabolol
AntioxidantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Flower
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Squalane, Cyclomethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Caffeine, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Polyphenols, Resveratrol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Flower, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 StearateMyristyl Alcohol is type of fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
As an emollient, myristyl alcohol hydrates the skin by trapping moisture in.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent alcohols.
The FDA allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Myristyl AlcoholPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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