What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientCoco-Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingBenzyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingHydroxycitronellal
PerfumingWater, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polysorbate 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Coco-Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Phosphate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Gluconate, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal
Water
Skin ConditioningIsodecyl Neopentanoate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCannabis Sativa Seed Oil
EmollientGlycol Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Niacinamide
SmoothingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
AntioxidantDilauryl Thiodipropionate
AntioxidantStearamide Amp
T-Butyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Isodecyl Neopentanoate, Glycerin, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Niacinamide, Phenoxyethanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Dilauryl Thiodipropionate, Stearamide Amp, T-Butyl Alcohol
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerCannabis Sativa Seed Oil is the fixed oil expressed from the seeds of the Cannabis sativa plant. This is also known as hemp oil.
Hemp oil is an emollient and nourishes the skin. It contains many fatty acids such as linoleic acid, amino acids, phospholipids, and vitamin E.
The difference between hemp and cannabis is their psychoactive component. Hemp has low amounts of THC.
Learn more about Cannabis Sativa Seed OilDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 StearatePeg-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.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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