What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingKhaya Senegalensis Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingOligopeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingWheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningCananga Odorata Flower Oil
Masking
Viola Odorata Leaf Extract
MaskingSantalum Spicata Wood Oil
Perfuming
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil
Skin Protecting
Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil
Masking
Myroxylon Pereirae Oil
Masking
Boswellia Carterii Oil
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Farnesol
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Khaya Senegalensis Bark Extract, Oligopeptide-1, Maltodextrin, Tocopherol, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Wheat Amino Acids, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Viola Odorata Leaf Extract, Santalum Spicata Wood Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Oil, Illicium Verum Fruit/Seed Oil, Myroxylon Pereirae Oil, Boswellia Carterii Oil, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Farnesol
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Sodium Citrate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAmyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Parfum, Salicylic Acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Ascorbic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Citrus Reticulata Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Amyl Cinnamal, Citral, Limonene
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimoneneSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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
