What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBetaine
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
Emulsifying
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAnhydroxylitol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xylitol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Pantolactone
Humectant
Water, Betaine, Glycerin, Canola Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Squalane, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Xylitylglucoside, Caprylyl Methicone, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Anhydroxylitol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xylitol, Glyceryl Stearates, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Pantolactone
Water
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic/Stearic Triglyceride
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Phragmites Karka Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientTocopherol
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Olivate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic/Stearic Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Gluconolactone, Phragmites Karka Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Lactobacillus, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Olivate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Gluconate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate
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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
