What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingLauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Polysilicone-11
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Steareth-20
CleansingChlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
N-Hydroxysuccinimide
Skin ConditioningSodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Chrysin
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicPropylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Ascorbic Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Cyclohexasiloxane, Water, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polysilicone-11, CI 77891, Adenosine, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Steareth-20, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, N-Hydroxysuccinimide, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Chrysin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Citric Acid, Biotin
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
C9-12 Alkane
SolventTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder
Abrasive
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Ricinoleate
Emollient
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMethyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Diamond Powder
Abrasive
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingArnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Corallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract
Skin ConditioningTribehenin
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMyristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Steareth-20
CleansingMica
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Butylene Glycol, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, C9-12 Alkane, Tocopheryl Acetate, Bambusa Arundinacea Stem Powder, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Ferulic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Behenyl Alcohol, Methyl Trimethicone, Glycerin, Carbomer, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Diamond Powder, Caffeine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ubiquinone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Squalane, Soluble Collagen, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Kappaphycus Alvarezii Extract, Tribehenin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Jojoba Wax PEG-120 Esters, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristyl Alcohol, Steareth-20, Mica, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, 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 GlycerinPotassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSteareth-20 is an emulsifier and solubilizer. It is created from stearyl alcohol with ~20 units of ethylene oxide to give it a strong preference for water.
As an emulsifier, it helps oil-in-water emulsions like lotions, creams, and cleansers stay stable. It also solubilizes small amounts of oil-loving ingredients (like fragrance) into water-based formulas.
You'll likely find this ingredient with steareth-2 (it's oil-loving sister) where the two work together to give products a cushiony feel.
Typical use levels sit at around 1-5% and this ingredient has been found to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel.
Learn more about Steareth-20Water. 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
