What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Benzophenone-4
UV Absorber
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Silica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate
Triethoxycaprylylsilane
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Benzophenone-4, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Hexylene Glycol, Maltodextrin, Phenoxyethanol, Polysorbate 20, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Titanium Dioxide
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingKappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientAsparagopsis Armata Extract
Skin ProtectingGold
Cosmetic ColorantAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningCopper Lysinate/Prolinate
Skin ConditioningMethylglucoside Phosphate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Polyquaternium-7
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Diazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingParfum
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Asparagopsis Armata Extract, Gold, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Copper Lysinate/Prolinate, Methylglucoside Phosphate, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Polyquaternium-7, Polysorbate 20, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Caprylyl Glycol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Diazolidinyl Urea, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHexylene Glycol is a multitasker ingredient that works as a solvent, humectant, emulsifier, viscosity reducer, and preservative booster.
It is able to dissolve both water and oil-soluble ingredients to stabilize tricky actives and make products spread more easily.
As a humectant, it pulls water into the skin. But it's a pretty minor moisturizing ingredient compared to other humectants, like glycerin.
Interestingly, it can act as a mild penetration enhancer. One in vitro study on human skin found a 12% concentration upped the absorption of mometasone furoate (a medicinal ingredient used to treat inflammatory skin conditions) up to 7%.
This ingredient is typically used at levels of 0.1-10% depending on the role it's playing.
A patch test study on eczema patients didn't find a significant increase in irritation versus the control group, but the potential for irritation rises at higher concentrations.
Learn more about Hexylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
