What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Tromethamine
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingSodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Polyisobutene
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningUsnea Barbata Extract
Pulsatilla Koreana Extract
Skin ConditioningAspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Wheat Amino Acids
Skin ConditioningNatto Gum
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, C14-22 Alcohols, Bakuchiol, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tromethamine, Butylene Glycol, Oryza Sativa Extract, Cetyl Palmitate, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Polyisobutene, Myristyl Alcohol, Phyllostachys Pubescens Shoot Bark Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Aspergillus Ferment, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Cyclodextrin, Adenosine, Lauryl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Oleate, Glucose, Wheat Amino Acids, Natto Gum, Pentylene Glycol, Madecassoside
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Glycol
HumectantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCera Alba
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialRhodiola Rosea Root Extract
EmollientPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sorbitan Stearate, Tetrahydroxypropyl Ethylenediamine, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Glycol, Mica, Cera Alba, Caffeine, Disodium EDTA, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl 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 AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
