What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 75810
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Maltodextrin, Levulinic Acid, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, CI 75810
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sorbitan Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Laureth-7, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopheryl 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
