What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Calcium Gluconate
HumectantLecithin
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Oil
Skin Conditioning
Plumeria Alba Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningVaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney Extract
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Gluconolactone, Calcium Gluconate, Lecithin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Oil, Plumeria Alba Flower Extract, Avena Sativa Seed Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon Seed Oil, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Extract, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Schoenanthus Extract, Honey Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Linalool, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Camelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Polyquaternium-4
Pectin
Emulsion StabilisingSucrose
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Honey Extract
Humectant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Persea Gratissima Oil, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Esters, Parfum, Sodium Bicarbonate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Polyquaternium-4, Pectin, Sucrose, Linalool, Citronellol, Honey Extract, Geraniol, Benzyl Salicylate, Benzyl Alcohol, Citral, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid
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 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 (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilThis ingredient comes from honey made by bees. It is hydrating, antibacterial, anti-aging, and skin soothing.
Honey also contains amino acids, peptides, Vitamins A, C, and E.
The humectant property of honey draws moisture from the air to your skin. This makes it great at helping to hydrate the skin.
Honey may help reduce the signs of aging due to its antioxidant properties. Fun fact: darker honey has more antioxidants than light honey. The antibacterial property of honey may make it effective at helping to treat acne by killing acne-causing bacteria.
Many people wonder if honey extract is vegan. It is technically a byproduct from bees. This is because honey is created from the digestive enzymes in a bee's stomach.
Remember to be kind to bees :) They are important for many ecosystems and are endangered.
Learn more about Honey ExtractLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolTocopherol 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
