What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Isocetyl Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Polysilicone-11
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Punica Granatum Sterols
Skin Conditioning
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Lactose
HumectantMilk Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Bifida Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Betula Alba Bark Extract
Masking
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Citrate
BufferingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Polysilicone-11, Sorbitan Olivate, Ceramide Ns, Punica Granatum Sterols, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Linoleic Acid, Lactose, Milk Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Betula Alba Bark Extract, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Laureth-7, Sodium Citrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Propanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Benzoate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acrylates/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 CrosspolymerCitric 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 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 GlycolPropanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
