What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSqualane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
EmulsifyingErythritol
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantSalix Alba Bark Extract
AstringentHamamelis Virginiana Extract
AntiseborrhoeicCitrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAnanas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
HumectantSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialGlycolic Acid
BufferingHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingBetaine
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Erythritol, Sorbitol, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Trehalose, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Extract, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Zinc PCA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Mandelic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Betaine, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientMalus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
CleansingZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentEpilobium Angustifolium Extract
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
MaskingSalix Alba Extract
Skin ConditioningSpiraea Ulmaria Extract
AstringentZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHibiscus Sabdariffa Callus Extract
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEthyl Vanillate
PerfumingCitrus Tangerina Peel Oil
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Stearic Acid, Zea Mays Starch, Epilobium Angustifolium Extract, Salicylic Acid, Salix Alba Extract, Spiraea Ulmaria Extract, Zinc Gluconate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Callus Extract, Tocopherol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ethyl Vanillate, Citrus Tangerina Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Reviews
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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 StearateWater. 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