What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Polysorbate 40
Emulsifying
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Nylon-12
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Benzyl Cinnamate
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Methyl 2-Octynoate
Perfuming
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCitric Acid
Buffering
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Pantothenic Acid
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Parfum, Polysorbate 40, Benzyl Benzoate, Nylon-12, Carbomer, Chlorphenesin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Cinnamate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate, Amyl Cinnamal, Eugenol, Methyl 2-Octynoate, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, CI 19140, CI 14700, Citric Acid, Phospholipids, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Pantothenic Acid, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrisodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cholesterol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium EDTA, BHT
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 high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
