What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Palmitate/Stearate
EmollientDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientEctoin
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Myristate
EmollientCetyl Palmitate
EmollientMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentParfum
MaskingHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTetrasodium Iminodisuccinate
Tocopherol
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingTetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes
MaskingGeranyl Acetate
PerfumingLinalyl Acetate
MaskingWater, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Palmitate/Stearate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Ectoin, Myristyl Myristate, Cetyl Palmitate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Parfum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cetearyl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Tetrasodium Iminodisuccinate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Chloride, Citric Acid, Tetramethyl Acetyloctahydronaphthalenes, Geranyl Acetate, Linalyl Acetate
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Myristate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningSesamum Indicum Seed Oil
EmollientLavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract
CleansingLavandula Angustifolia Oil
MaskingOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
MaskingHippophae Rhamnoides Oil
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingAcer Rubrum Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Aminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Myristyl Myristate, Octyldodecanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Zea Mays Starch, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Hydroxyacetophenone, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Acer Rubrum Bark Extract, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Parfum, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Linalool
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetyl Palmitate is a wax-ester that pulls triple duty as an emollient, thickener, and emulsion enhancer.
It helps enhance the texture of products by giving a smooth, silky feel while helping to stabilize the formula. The emollient action softens skin and reduces moisture loss.
This ingredient is considered safe and human testing of concentrations between 2.5-2.7% were found minimal irritation. Just know, there have been very rare cases of the palmitate family causing contact dermatitis.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because it contains a C16 ester (palmitic acid) that falls into the C11-24 range that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Cetyl PalmitateGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenoneMyristyl Myristate is a waxy ester made by combining myristyl alcohol and myristic acid (both from plant oils from coconut or palm).
It's a non-greasy emollient that melts right around skin temperature. It gives products a soft and velvet feel and helps improve how a cream spreads.
Safety-wise, it's deemed safe to use in cosmetics by the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel. Dermal animal testing found it to be non-toxic and non-irritating.
This ingredient has a comedogenic reputation; it's important to know comedogenic ratings come from outdated rabbit ear tests. Rabbit ears are way more sensitive than human skin and prone to clogging. How likely a formula will clog pores depends on the overall formulation rather than a few comedogenic ingredients.
Because this ingredient is an ester of Myristic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Myristic acid is a C14 fatty acid that sits in the C11-24 range that feeds the Malassezia yeast.
Learn more about Myristyl MyristateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or '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 by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumSodium Stearoyl Glutamate is an amino-acid based emulsifier. It is made by combining stearic acid with L-glutamic acid and neutralizing it to a sodium salt.
As an emulsifier, it works mainly as an oil-in-water one and helps keep the oil and water in your formulas blended. It also contributes to a smooth, non-greasy skin feel.
This ingredient is biodegradable and commonly available in natural/COSMOS-certified grades.
Learn more about Sodium Stearoyl GlutamateTocopherol 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