What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Jojoba Oil/Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Esters
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingEthyl Ether
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCamellia Sinensis Extract
Antioxidant
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantifolia Oil
Cleansing
Ocimum Basilicum Oil
Masking
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Jojoba Oil/Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride Esters, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Punica Granatum Seed Oil, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ethyl Ether, Ethylhexylglycerin, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Citrus Bergamia Peel Oil Expressed, Citrus Aurantifolia Oil, Ocimum Basilicum Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Cetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Myristate
EmollientStearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil
Astringent
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil
Masking
Chlorella Emersonii Extract
Skin ConditioningMirabilis Jalapa Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Yeast Amino Acids
HumectantTrehalose
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Taurine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropanediol
Solvent
Octadecene
SolventPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Betaine, Cetearyl Methicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Myristate, Stearyl Dimethicone, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Glycol Distearate, Mentha Viridis Leaf Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Bark Oil, Chlorella Emersonii Extract, Mirabilis Jalapa Extract, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Urea, Yeast Amino Acids, Trehalose, Inositol, Taurine, Xanthan Gum, Propanediol, Octadecene, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Hexylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Limonene, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about Tocopherol
