What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Distarch Phosphate
AbsorbentCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Hypericum Perforatum Extract
AntimicrobialAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Water, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Distarch Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Candelilla Cera, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Hypericum Perforatum Extract, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Rosa Canina Seed Extract
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water
MaskingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialLavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Squalene
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Water, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Rosa Canina Seed Extract, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Water, Cetearyl Glucoside, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Anisate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Beta-Sitosterol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Squalene, Lactic Acid
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract comes from the Chamomile flower.
Chamomile is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Several compounds found in chamomile help with soothing, such as bisbolol.
Antioxidant components in chamomile make it an effective ingredient to help slow the signs of aging. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules, or molecules that may damage your skin.
Essential oils from chamomile have been found to improve wound healing due to its antimicrobial properties.
Ancient Greeks and Egyptians used Chamomile to treat skin redness and dryness. Chamomile has also been used to help treat stomach issues.
Learn more about Chamomilla Recutita Flower ExtractGlycerin (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 GlycerinThis ingredient is the oil from the apricot.
Apricot Kernel Oil is an emollient and helps soften skin. This is due to its fatty acid components. Some of these fatty acids include linoleic and oleic acid.
This ingredient also has antioxidant properties from Vitamins A, C, and E. Antioxidants help fight free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells. Besides being antioxidants, these vitamins provide plenty of skin benefits as well.
Learn more about Prunus Armeniaca Kernel OilSodium Anisate comes from fennel. It is used as a preservative and to add flavoring.
Sodium Anisate has antimicrobial properties.
Sodium levulinate is the a sodium salt of Levulinic Acid. Oncedissolved in an aqueous solution, the two ingredients become identical. It is usually derived from renewable plant sources like corn starch or sugarcane.
In skincare, it mostly acts as a skin conditioning agent that keeps skin soft and hydrated. It also acts as a preservative booster by inhibiting the growth of mold, yeast, and bacteria.
It's often paired with Sodium Anisate as the two create a broad-spectrum preservative system that is popular in "natural" formulations.
This ingredient is water-soluble.
The CIR Expert Panel for Cosmetic Ingredient Safety has concluded this ingredient to be non-irritated and there are no restrictions for use in EU cosmetics. The FDA also allows this ingredient to be used as a food-grade flavoring agent.
Learn more about Sodium LevulinateTocopherol 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 Water
