What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Shorea Robusta Seed Butter
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cera Alba
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-20 Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingIsohexadecane
EmollientPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingHydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientHydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine
Skin ConditioningFaex Extract
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates Copolymer
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Amyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Myristyl Myristate, Shorea Robusta Seed Butter, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Cera Alba, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycine Soja Protein, Triethanolamine, Isohexadecane, Phenethyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Faex Extract, Polysorbate 80, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetyl Alcohol, Retinyl Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Methylparaben, Sodium Benzoate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Ethylparaben, Linalool, Geraniol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Amyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Citronellol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSteareth-21
CleansingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract
EmollientAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientUbiquinone
Antioxidant
Whey Protein
Skin ConditioningJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialSodium PCA
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Squalene
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
EDTA
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Water, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Steareth-21, Jojoba Esters, Petrolatum, Selaginella Lepidophylla Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Salicylic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Isohexadecane, Ubiquinone, Whey Protein, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Bisabolol, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Citrullus Lanatus Fruit Extract, Phytosterols, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sodium Lactate, Methyl Gluceth-20, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Sodium PCA, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Squalene, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Lens Esculenta Fruit Extract, Methylparaben, Ethylhexylglycerin, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, EDTA, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Polysorbate 60
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 StearateIsohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Due to its large size, Isohexadecane is not absorbed by the skin. Instead, it sits on top and acts as an emollient. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by trapping moisture within.
Isohexadecane is often used in products designed to help oily skin. It is lightweight and non-greasy while helping to moisturize. When mixed with silicones, it gives a product a silky feel.
Learn more about IsohexadecaneMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
