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 ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lactose
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Propylparaben
Preservative
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Lactose, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-8, Stearyl Alcohol, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Carbomer, Isopropyl Myristate, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Propylparaben, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Copper Gluconate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.
As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.
This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateDisodium 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.
PEG-8 is a synthetic polymer used as a humectant and solvent.
This ingredient is able to help dissolve active ingredients, including water. This gives it humectant properties.
It is soluble in water. The number '8' stands for the molecular weight of the ingredient.
Learn more about PEG-8Water. 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
