What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethicone
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSida Cordifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Tinospora Cordifolia Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningUndecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Cetyl Alcohol, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Glycerin, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Parfum, Isopropyl Myristate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sida Cordifolia Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Tinospora Cordifolia Stem Extract, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Capryloyl Glycine, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Oryza Sativa Bran Water
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Caprate
EmulsifyingXylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hyaluronic Acid, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyglutamic Acid, Lactobacillus, Maltodextrin, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Stearic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, BHT, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol
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 AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopheryl 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 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
