What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Pandanus Conoideus Fruit Oil
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingCananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Methyl Gluceth-20, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Caprylyl Methicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Bakuchiol, Pandanus Conoideus Fruit Oil, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Polyglutamate, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Tetrasodium EDTA
Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningAlgin
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Calcium Chloride
AstringentWater, Glycerin, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Petrolatum, Dimethicone, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Allantoin, Bisabolol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Chlorphenesin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Deoxyphytantriyl Palmitamide Mea, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Lactobacillus, Glucose, Cyanocobalamin, Algin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Calcium Chloride
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinWater. 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
