What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Squalane
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingYeast Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Isocetyl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Squalane, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Yeast Ferment Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Didecene
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningAngelica Archangelica Root Water
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientRubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCanola Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Ricinoleate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Citrus Grandis Peel Oil
Masking
Triceteareth-4 Phosphate
EmulsifyingSilica
Abrasive
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Laureth-3
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPerfluorodecalin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Buddleja Davidii Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycosphingolipids
EmollientSucrose Palmitate
EmollientThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicWater, Hydrogenated Didecene, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, Bisabolol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Angelica Archangelica Root Water, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Canola Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Citrus Grandis Peel Oil, Triceteareth-4 Phosphate, Silica, Zea Mays Starch, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Laureth-3, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Perfluorodecalin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Sodium Benzoate, Buddleja Davidii Extract, Glycosphingolipids, Sucrose Palmitate, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Trideceth-6, Xanthan Gum, Biotin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester is a peptide composed of amino acids arginine and tyrosine.
This peptide is considered a neurotransmitter peptide, meaning it has pain-relieving and relaxing properties. It has the ability to calm skin irritation from external factors such as chemical stinging or heat.
Neurotransmitter peptides are also often called "botox in a bottle". This is because these peptides have the ability to relax the muscles.
Though relaxing the muscles can prevent expression lines (as we have seen in botox), the studies do not show these peptides to be a botox replacement. The effects of this muscle relaxation is also short-term, as opposed to longer-term results from botox.
Learn more about Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl EsterAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer is a synthetic polymer. It is used to thicken, emulsify, and improve the texture of products.
As an emulsifier, it helps stabilize oil-in-water emulsions to give products an elegant feel when applied.
It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.
A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.
Learn more about Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerButylene 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 GlycolCetyl 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 StearateSodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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 WaterZea Mays Starch is starch made from corn. You might know this as cornstarch . It is used to thicken a product. It can replace talc as an absorbent.
The pH of cornstarch is 5.92.
Cornstarch is a common food ingredient used to thicken soups or to make corn syrup.
Learn more about Zea Mays Starch
