What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
PEG-4 Stearate
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingHydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingEugenol
Perfuming
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Triethanolamine
BufferingCrithmum Maritimum Extract
Skin ConditioningCellulose Acetate Butyrate
Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate
Polycaprolactone
StabilisingPolyvinyl Alcohol
Poloxamer 188
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingLimonene
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMoringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Rosa Gallica Flower Extract
AstringentMethylparaben
Preservative
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glyceryl Stearate Se, PEG-4 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Lecithin, Sodium Chloride, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Eugenol, Ethylparaben, Triethanolamine, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate, Polycaprolactone, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Poloxamer 188, Dimethiconol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Limonene, Benzyl Alcohol, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Sorbitan Tristearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Ceramide NP, Disodium EDTA, Rosa Gallica Flower Extract, Methylparaben, Octyldodecanol, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Glycine Soja Oil, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningIsocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Isocetyl Stearate, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Zea Mays Starch, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root Extract, Dimethiconol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
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 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 GlycolThis ingredient is also known as shea butter. It is a plant-derived extract from the nuts of the Africa shea tree and one of the most well-studied emollients.
Because it has a high concentration of fatty acids (primarily oleic, stearic, and linoleic) it is able to form a protective barrier on the skin's surface. This helps seal in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
In vitro research found an increase in skin hydration by 58% and a decrease in TEWL by 37.8% after 24 hours of applying this ingredient (pretty impressive for a single ingredient!).
Besides hydration, shea butter also contains triterpenes that have anti-inflammatory potential. In particule, lupeol cinnamate has shown the highest anti-inflammatory activity in vivo.
Shea butter also contains vitamins A and E which may contribute to antioxidant activity.
While Shea Butter has an SPF rating of about 3-4, it is not a sunscreen replacement.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because its fatty acids fall within the C11-C24 range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize.
Learn more about Butyrospermum Parkii ButterCaprylyl 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 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Glycerin (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
