What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Candelilla Cera
Emollient
Euphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract
Masking
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Inonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
Masking
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Ether, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Propylene Glycol, Isopropyl Isostearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Behenyl Alcohol, Candelilla Cera, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Carbomer, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Vigna Aconitifolia Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Pentylene Glycol, Jasminum Officinale Flower Extract, Myristic Acid, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Adenosine, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Cetyl Ether
EmulsifyingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Rosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Capparis Spinosa Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Nigra Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningRhodiola Rosea Root Extract
EmollientCaesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract
Skin ProtectingGlycogen
HumectantDimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract
Hectorite
AbsorbentParfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Arginine
Masking
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSuccinoglycan
Skin ConditioningMalic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningIsoamyl Cocoate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Squalene
Emollient
Sea Salt
Abrasive
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Water, Polyglyceryl-3 Cetyl Ether, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, C13-15 Alkane, Cetyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Isoamyl Laurate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Capparis Spinosa Bud Extract, Morus Nigra Leaf Extract, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract, Caesalpinia Spinosa Fruit Extract, Glycogen, Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Rhodophyceae Extract, Hectorite, Parfum, Benzyl Alcohol, Arginine, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Succinoglycan, Malic Acid, Sodium Levulinate, Isoamyl Cocoate, Xanthan Gum, P-Anisic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Beta-Sitosterol, Squalene, Sea Salt
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 StearateTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
