What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Lupine Protein
Skin ConditioningPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cera Alba
Emollient
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer
Cleansing
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Alcohol Denat., Cetearyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Octyldodecanol, Cyclodextrin, Hydrolyzed Lupine Protein, Pisum Sativum Extract, Adenosine, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Linseed Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cera Alba, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Butter, Cetearyl Glucoside, Citric Acid, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 60, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Tocopherol, Dimethicone/Polyglycerin-3 Crosspolymer, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Limonene, Chlorphenesin, Dipropylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isostearyl Neopentanoate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Algae Extract
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningDipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Isohexadecane
EmollientPetrolatum
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycereth-26
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
PEG-8
HumectantPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Algae Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Whey Protein, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Acetyl Glucosamine, Caffeine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Cetearyl Glucoside, Tocopheryl Acetate, Isohexadecane, Petrolatum, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycereth-26, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, PEG-8, Polysorbate 20, Hexylene Glycol, Polysorbate 80, Carbomer, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Oleate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, 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.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideDimethicone 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 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 StearatePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
