What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTetrasodium EDTA
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Stearic Acid, Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-Yuen Seed Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Tetrasodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Tridecyl Stearate
Emollient
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Pentastearate
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
EmulsifyingCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientSodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientHelianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tromethamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Petrolatum, Tridecyl Stearate, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Polyglyceryl-10 Pentastearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Cetyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Tromethamine, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, CI 19140, CI 15985, CI 17200
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
