What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetyl Ricinoleate
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Polypeptide-22
Skin Conditioning
Sh-Oligopeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract
Skin Conditioning
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Saccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingPyrus Malus Pulp Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate/Carrot Polypeptide
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-8
HumectantXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Oleate
CleansingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Silica
Abrasive
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 40800
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Sorbitol, Glycerin, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate, Glycolic Acid, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-8, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-11, Sh-Polypeptide-9, Sh-Polypeptide-22, Sh-Oligopeptide-4, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Aleurites Moluccanus Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Pulp Extract, Retinyl Palmitate/Carrot Polypeptide, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Hydrogenated Phosphatidylcholine, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-8, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Oleate, Glycine Soja Oil, Parfum, Limonene, Linalool, Silica, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Benzoic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, CI 40800, CI 77891
Water
Skin ConditioningNeopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5
Humectant
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Dunaliella Salina Extract
Skin ConditioningPongamia Glabra Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Pullulan
Glyceryl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Ceteareth-25
CleansingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingPropyl Gallate
Antioxidant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Eos, Ceramide NP, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Cholesterol, Squalane, Retinol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Dunaliella Salina Extract, Pongamia Glabra Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Carnosine, Panthenol, Sodium PCA, Pullulan, Glyceryl Ascorbate, Behenic Acid, Dimethicone, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Ceteareth-25, Sodium Hydroxide, Trideceth-6, Propyl Gallate, Polysorbate 20, Disodium EDTA, Mica, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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.
Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
