What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C9-12 Alkane
SolventPrunus Domestica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Seed Oil
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Davidsonia Jerseyana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Powder
Antioxidant
Podocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPolyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Chloride
MaskingXylitol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Eclipta Prostrata Extract
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Potassium Phosphate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropylcellulose
EmulsifyingAlaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingSodium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Chloride
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Curcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, C13-15 Alkane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C9-12 Alkane, Prunus Domestica Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Squalane, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Seed Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Davidsonia Jerseyana Fruit Extract, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Powder, Podocarpus Elatus Fruit Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Pleiogynium Timoriense Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Niacinamide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xylitylglucoside, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Anhydroxylitol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Arginine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Chloride, Xylitol, Stearic Acid, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Glucose, Potassium Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Hydroxypropylcellulose, Alaria Esculenta Extract, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Gluconolactone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Silica, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Paraffin
Perfuming
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-20 Stearate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingLactic Acid
Buffering
2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol
Preservative
BHT
Antioxidant
Sorbitol
Humectant
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Petrolatum, Butylene Glycol, Paraffin, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, PEG-20 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Sodium Lactate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Lactic Acid, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, BHT, Sorbitol, CI 14700, CI 42090
Reviews
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 Water
