What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Solanum Tuberosum Pulp Extract
SmoothingCaprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingGlycolipids
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Olive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters
Emollient
Carrageenan
Polyglyceryl-6 Pentaoleate
Emulsifying
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Menthyl Ethylamido Oxalate
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Glucose
Humectant
Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningBromelain
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Papain
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Cymbopogon Martini Oil
Masking
Ormenis Multicaulis Oil
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Citronellol
Perfuming
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Propanediol, Solanum Tuberosum Pulp Extract, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Glycolipids, Phenoxyethanol, Olive Oil Polyglyceryl-6 Esters, Carrageenan, Polyglyceryl-6 Pentaoleate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Menthyl Ethylamido Oxalate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hippophae Rhamnoides Seed Oil, Glucose, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Bromelain, Citric Acid, Papain, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citronellol, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil is the oil extracted from the seeds of the meadowfoam plant. This oil is non-fragrant and is an emollient. As an emollient, meadowfoam seed oil helps soften and hydrate the skin.
Meadowfoam seed oil is stable and has a long shelf life due to its chemical structure. It has the highest concentration of stable fatty-acids among plant oils, preventing it from degrading once exposed to oxygen.
Due to the fatty acid content, this ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe.
Meadowfoam is native to California and Oregon.
Learn more about Limnanthes Alba Seed OilPhenoxyethanol 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
