What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Milk Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Cocoglycerides, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Milk Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Bran Protein, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantGlyceryl Dilaurate
Emollient
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Acetyl Dipeptide-31 Amide
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Glycine
CleansingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Bisulfite
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSteareth-10
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Acetyl Glucosamine, Triethyl Citrate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, C10-18 Triglycerides, Butylene Glycol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Behenyl Alcohol, Isocetyl Stearoyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Ethoxydiglycol, Glyceryl Dilaurate, Bakuchiol, Acetyl Dipeptide-31 Amide, Palmitoyl Glycine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Lecithin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Bisulfite, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Steareth-10, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerDisodium 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 HydroxideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
