What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientSucrose Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-8 Stearate
Emulsifying
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Squalane, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Sucrose Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Chlorphenesin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Myristic Acid, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Salicylic Acid, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-8 Stearate
Emulsifying
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Dextran Sulfate
Gel Forming
Sodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract
Skin ConditioningPEG-10 Stearate
EmulsifyingEugenol
Perfuming
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Triethanolamine
BufferingCrithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate
Polycaprolactone
StabilisingPolyvinyl Alcohol
Poloxamer 188
EmulsifyingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDimethiconol
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Rosa Gallica Flower Extract
AstringentMethylparaben
Preservative
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, Isononyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, PEG-8 Stearate, Synthetic Wax, Cyclopentasiloxane, Lecithin, Sodium Dextran Sulfate, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract, PEG-10 Stearate, Eugenol, Ethylparaben, Triethanolamine, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Palmitic Acid, Silica, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate, Polycaprolactone, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Poloxamer 188, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Dimethiconol, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Disodium EDTA, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Methylparaben, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Octyldodecanol, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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.
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 StearateHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine helps your skin create more ceramides. This ingredient has been shown to boost skin hydration and improve the skin barrier.
Your skin has an outermost layer called the stratum corneum. This is known as your skin barrier.
Your skin barrier consists of cholesterol (25%), free fatty acids (15%), and ceramides (50-60%). A healthy skin barrier is the key to hydrated and plump skin. Your skin is able to retain more moisture with a nourished barrier.
Although small, the skin barrier prevents bacteria and other bad things from going into our bodies. A damaged skin barrier can lead to itchy and dry skin, acne, or bacterial/viral/fungal skin infections.
Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine tells your skin to create more ceramides. This helps fortify your skin barrier. Having a strong skin barrier leads to hydrated and healthy skin. More good news? You don't need a high amount of this ingredient to see benefits.
Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine is created from a chemical reaction using an amino alcohol (dihydrosphingosine) and a fatty acid palmitic acid (2- 11 bromohexadecanoic acid).
Other ingredients that tell your skin to create more ceramide:
Learn more about Hydroxypalmitoyl SphinganinePalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPeg-8 Stearate is an emulsifier and humectant.
This ingredient comes from stearic acid, and the 8 represents the number of ethylene oxide monomers.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-8 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
