What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Betaine, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Squalane, Ectoin, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propanediol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Glyceryl Stearate, Jojoba Esters, Saccharide Isomerate, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polyglycerin-3, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Starch
AbsorbentGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Mannitol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPEG-75 Stearate
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingCeteth-20
CleansingCholesterol
Emollient
Steareth-20
CleansingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Chloride
MaskingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, C10-18 Triglycerides, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Coco-Caprylate, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Starch, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Retinyl Palmitate, Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide Ng, Madecassoside, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Mannitol, Xanthan Gum, PEG-75 Stearate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Phosphatidylcholine, Ceteth-20, Cholesterol, Steareth-20, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Pentylene Glycol, Decyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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.
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 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 StearatePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolTocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
