What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Shorea Robusta Seed Butter
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Paraffin
Perfuming
Zea Mays Kernel Extract
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingIsohexadecane
EmollientSalicyloyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Cinnamate
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, PEG-40 Stearate, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Shorea Robusta Seed Butter, Paraffinum Liquidum, Paraffin, Zea Mays Kernel Extract, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Microcrystalline Wax, Sorbitan Tristearate, Glycine Soja Protein, Triethanolamine, Isohexadecane, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Myristyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Caprylyl Glycol, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Faex Extract, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Retinyl Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol, Linalool, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citral, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Cinnamate, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylamide
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tapioca Starch, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxyacetophenone, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyacrylamide, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Titanium Dioxide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-7, Tocopheryl Acetate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone 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 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 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.
Water. 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
