What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningKaolin
AbrasiveBentonite
AbsorbentGlycerin
HumectantLactobacillus
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientCocos Nucifera Water
MaskingHylocereus Undatus Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentTocopherol
AntioxidantCaesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningThymus Vulgaris Oil
MaskingAvena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantAcacia Catechu Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Farnesene
EmollientTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Phytate
Citric Acid
BufferingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTin Oxide
AbrasiveSodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Kaolin, Bentonite, Glycerin, Lactobacillus, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Water, Hylocereus Undatus Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Tocopherol, Caesalpinia Sappan Bark Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Oil, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Saccharide Isomerate, Acacia Catechu Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Hydrogenated Farnesene, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Mica, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Phytate, Citric Acid, Allantoin, Tin Oxide, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Titanium Dioxide, CI 17200
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantAspergillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSaccharomyces Ferment
Skin ConditioningCetyl Tranexamate Mesylate
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
EmollientCaprylyl Glyceryl Ether
CleansingCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingStearic Acid
CleansingArginine
MaskingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Aspergillus Ferment, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Saccharomyces Ferment, Cetyl Tranexamate Mesylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Palmitic Acid, Caprylyl Glyceryl Ether, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Stearic Acid, Arginine, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 StearateNiacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.
And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.
You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.
In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.
If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.
When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.
When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.
In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).
Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.
Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.
The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.
Learn more about NiacinamidePropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. 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