What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
PPG-5 Caprylyl Ether
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
Solvent
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientDextrin
AbsorbentTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Mannitol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11
Skin Conditioning
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, PPG-5 Caprylyl Ether, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Methyl Trimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Stearyl Dimethicone, Bis-Hydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Panthenol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Propanediol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Dextrin, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Allantoin, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide NP, Parfum, Beta-Glucan, Cholesterol, Mannitol, Tocopherol, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientHydroxyethyl Urea
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningErythritol
Humectant
Homarine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
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 CrosspolymerCetyl 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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 StearateWater. 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
