What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Aminobutyric Acid
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Lauryl Glucoside
CleansingSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Isopropyl Myristate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Retinol, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Aminobutyric Acid, Propanediol, Cetyl Palmitate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sorbitan Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, T-Butyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Rice Ferment Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Dicaprylyl Ether, Glycine Soja Oil, Cetearyl Glucoside, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Retinol, Rice Ferment Filtrate, Ceramide NP, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Lactic 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycine Soja Oil comes from the soybean. Glycine Soja is native to eastern Asia.
Soybean oil is an emollient. It is rich in antioxidants and fatty acids including palmitic, stearic, oleic, and linoleic acids.
As an emollient, the fatty acids in soybean oil helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. It does so by creating a film on top that traps moisture in.
Soybean oil is also rich in vitamin E, a potent antioxidant. Vitamin E is also anti-inflammatory and provides a soothing effect.
Studies show soy may help fade hyperpigmentation from UVB. It does so by disrupting the melanin process from UVB induced skin inflammation.
This ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne, safe.
Soybeans are rich in proteins and are part of the legume family. Foods made with soybeans include tofu, soymilk, edamame, miso, and soy sauce.
Learn more about Glycine Soja OilPhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
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 PropanediolRetinol is a gold-standard ingredient for anti-aging. It is a form of Vitamin A and belongs to the class of retinoids that also includes tretinoin.
Why is retinol famous?
It has the most scientific studies backing up its skin benefits out of all the non-prescription ingredients.
Retinol is proven to:
This is why retinol is effective at removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, treating acne, and reducing the appearance of pores.
Studies show retinol is less effective when exposed to UV. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent (similar to Vitamin C).
Using retinol or any retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few months. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.
We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.
Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.
Read about Tretinoin
Learn more about RetinolSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This helps prevent unwanted effects and reactions from a product. These metal ions may come from water and are found in miniscule amounts.
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate can also help other preservatives be more effective.
Tocopherol 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
