What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantMacadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
HumectantSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantGlucosyl Ceramide
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin ConditioningSimethicone
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
AbsorbentBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningWater, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Trehalose, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glucosyl Ceramide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Simethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbitan Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Tocopherol, Cellulose Gum, Maltodextrin, Beta-Glucan
Allantoin
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantΑ-Olefin Oligomer
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
EmollientPEG-90
HumectantPetrolatum
EmollientDecamethyltetrasiloxane
Behenyl Alcohol
EmollientBatyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningSodium Metaphosphate
BufferingSodium Metabisulfite
AntioxidantCalcium Chloride
AstringentMagnesium Chloride
Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Sodium PCA
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAllantoin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Water, Glycerin, Α-Olefin Oligomer, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, PEG-90, Petrolatum, Decamethyltetrasiloxane, Behenyl Alcohol, Batyl Alcohol, Carbomer, PEG/PPG-17/4 Dimethyl Ether, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Metaphosphate, Sodium Metabisulfite, Calcium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium PCA, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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