What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentHydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Wheat Germ Glycerides
Emollient
Faex
Skin ConditioningEthylparaben
Preservative
Triethanolamine
BufferingMel
EmollientPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Limonene
Perfuming
Mannitol
Humectant
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Linalool
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Chondrus Crispus
Masking
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGeraniol
Perfuming
Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate
CleansingDisodium Succinate
MaskingMethylparaben
Preservative
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein
Skin ConditioningHexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Glycerin
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Water, Paraffinum Liquidum, Isopropyl Myristate, Propylene Glycol, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Lecithin, Cyclodextrin, Hydroxycitronellal, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Phenoxyethanol, Wheat Germ Glycerides, Faex, Ethylparaben, Triethanolamine, Mel, Polysorbate 20, Limonene, Mannitol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Linalool, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Chondrus Crispus, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Carbomer, Geraniol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Disodium Succinate, Methylparaben, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Citronellol, Coumarin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Protein, Hexyl Cinnamal, Glycerin, Parfum
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 Water
