What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tranexamic Acid
Astringent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
CleansingBakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Palmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Hexapeptide-49
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Palmitoyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Bakuchiol, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40, Acetyl Hexapeptide-49, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Chlorphenesin, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysilicone-11
Sodium Sulfite
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Tocotrienols
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Beta-Carotene
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Glutathione
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Glycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Panthenol, Trehalose, Glycine Soja Oil, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysilicone-11, Sodium Sulfite, Tocopherol, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Allantoin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Retinol, Tocotrienols, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Palmitic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, BHT, Beta-Carotene, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Glutathione, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
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 CarbomerCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 is a synthetic polymer made by combining glycerin with polymethacrylic acid.
It is a non-drying, non-greasy moisturizer that helps enhance the feel and slip of formulations, helps stabilize emulsions, creates a film, and controls viscosity.
As a film former, it creates a light and flexible layer on the skin's surface. This helps lock in moisture without feeling heavy.
It's typically used at concentrations up to 1.9% in leave-on products. CIR has concluded that these ingredients are safe in cosmetics at current use levels.
Due to its large molecule size, it doesn't readily penetrate into skin and mostly just sits on the surface. A large UK-based patch test study of over 1,300 patients found that sensitization to related acrylate copolymers is rare.
Learn more about Glyceryl PolymethacrylateGlyceryl 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 StearateTocopheryl 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
