What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Phosphate
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Phytosterols, Phospholipids, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sclerotium Gum, Hydroxyacetophenone, Allantoin, Linoleic Acid, Jojoba Esters, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ethyl Linoleate
Emollient
Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Arginine
Masking
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Glycerin, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Sorbitan Olivate, Ethyl Linoleate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Arginine, Sclerotium Gum, Propanediol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lactic Acid, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone
Reviews
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.Â
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 preservativesÂ
Cetearyl 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 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 HydroxyacetophenonePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolSclerotium Gum is a polysaccharide gum made by the fungus, Sclerotium rolfssii. It is similar to xanthan gum.
In cosmetics, Sclerotium Gum is used to thicken the texture and to help stabilize other ingredients.
As an emulsifier, Sclerotium Gum helps prevent ingredients from separating, such as water and oil.
Learn more about Sclerotium GumTocopherol 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 Water
