What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBetaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Prunus Salicina Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract
AstringentFragaria Vesca Fruit Extract
AstringentPrunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Centella Asiatica Extract, Beta-Glucan, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isononyl Isononanoate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Betaine, Allantoin, Adenosine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Prunus Salicina Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Rubus Idaeus Fruit Extract, Fragaria Vesca Fruit Extract, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glucose
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Olivate
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethylhexanoin, Panthenol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopherol, Glucose, Allantoin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetearyl Olivate, C12-16 Alcohols, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sorbitan Olivate, Palmitic Acid, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Allantoin is a soothing ingredient known for its protective and moisturizing properties; it's basically a quiet workhorse ingredient you can find in a huge range of cosmetics.
Though it can be derived from the comfrey plant, allantoin is produced synthetically for cosmetic products to ensure purity.
Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.
It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.
Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.
This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.
Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.
Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.
Learn more about AllantoinCetearyl 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 AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinHydrogenated Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer. Polymers are compounds with high molecular weight. Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is an emollient and texture enhancer.
In one study, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene showed better skin hydration levels than Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride. As an emollient, it helps keep your skin soft and hydrated by trapping moisture in.
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene is often used as a mineral oil replacement.
Learn more about Hydrogenated PolyisobuteneSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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
