What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantSqualane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningZea Mays Starch
AbsorbentNiacinamide
SmoothingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingMyristyl Myristate
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientSynthetic Fluorphlogopite
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningMyristic Acid
CleansingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingWater, Glycerin, Squalane, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, Zea Mays Starch, Niacinamide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Myristyl Myristate, Sodium Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Xanthan Gum, Capryloyl Glycine, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide NP, Myristic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate Se
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
SolventDimethicone
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPEG-Crosspolymer
Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Citrate
BufferingAlumina
AbrasivePhenoxyethanol
PreservativeAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Tocopherol
AntioxidantIsopropyl Titanium Triisostearate
EmollientCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Caprylyl Methicone, Propanediol, Dimethicone, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-Crosspolymer, Triethoxysilylethyl Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Parfum, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Citrate, Alumina, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol Denat., Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone 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 GlycerinPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolWater. 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