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 ConditioningIsocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
AbsorbentPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Isocetyl Stearate, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.
It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.
Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.
This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetyl 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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinSodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
