What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Hexapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Soluble Proteoglycan
Skin ConditioningPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Betaine
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, Water, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Hexapeptide-11, Copper Tripeptide-1, Soluble Proteoglycan, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Betaine, Propanediol, Allantoin, Adenosine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Diheptyl Succinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Lactate, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Xanthan Gum, Tocopherol, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Citrate, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
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 GlycerinStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
