What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Squalene
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingBeeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Water, Propylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycerin, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalene, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Oleate, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Beeswax, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, Myristyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
C9-12 Alkane
SolventBetaine
Humectant
Inositol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Undecane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Squalane
Emollient
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Punica Granatum Extract
AstringentVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Apium Graveolens Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract
Perfuming
Angelica Archangelica Root Extract
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phytate
Sorbitan Trioleate
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTridecane
Perfuming
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Stearic Acid, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, C9-12 Alkane, Betaine, Inositol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Undecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propanediol, Squalane, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Aspalathus Linearis Leaf Extract, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Punica Granatum Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Extract, Angelica Archangelica Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Colloidal Oatmeal, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Sodium Phytate, Sorbitan Trioleate, Xanthan Gum, Tridecane, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Pentylene Glycol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Citronellol, Geraniol, Parfum
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 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 StearateStearic 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 AcidTocopherol 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 Water
