What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsododecane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Cetyl Alcohol
EmollientNeopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
MaskingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingLimonene
PerfumingStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientDecyl Glucoside
CleansingGlycereth-26
HumectantC10-16 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
AbsorbentEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningEugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil
MaskingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantButylene Glycol
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantYeast Polysaccharides
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantTocopherol
AntioxidantVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
AntimicrobialAlchemilla Vulgaris Extract
AstringentSaponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTromethamine
BufferingSuperoxide Dismutase
AntioxidantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEugenol
PerfumingWater, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Limonene, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycereth-26, C10-16 Alkyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eugenia Caryophyllus Leaf Oil, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Yeast Polysaccharides, Sodium Hydroxide, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Saponaria Officinalis Leaf/Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Superoxide Dismutase, Phenoxyethanol, Eugenol
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPetrolatum
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePhoenix Dactylifera Fruit Extract
EmollientPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningIngredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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