What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientSea Water
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Tromethamine
BufferingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Magnesium Sulfate
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Calcium Chloride
AstringentBenzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Manganese Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantNasturtium Officinale Extract
Perfuming
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, Ceramide AP, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Saccharide Isomerate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Sea Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Parfum, Tromethamine, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Butylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hyaluronic Acid, Linalool, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Calcium Chloride, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Manganese Sulfate, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Tocopherol, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Lecithin, Zinc Sulfate, Glycine Soja Oil, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside
Coptis Japonica Root Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientIsohexadecane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCoptis Japonica Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Isohexadecane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 80, Glyceryl Caprylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene 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 GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholGlyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid. It is an emollient, co-emulsifier, and preservative booster.
Its short C8 fatty acid chain makes it behave differently from its longer-chain emollient cousins like Glyceryl Stearate. It feels more lightweight, fast-absorbing, and silky instead of rich and waxy.
As a co-emulsifier, its "head" and "tail" sit at the oil-water interface. But overall, the short C8 tail and not being water soluble means it doesn't really have the muscle to emulsify a formula on its own. That's why you'll often see it paired with a primary emulsifier like Cetearyl Glucoside.
Interestingly, Glyceryl Caprylate acts as a preservative booster. This is because its fatty-acid backbone disrupts microbial lipid membranes. It shows excellent activity against bacteria and yeast but is weaker against mold.
Typical concentrations range from 0.5-1% and this ingredient is generally non-irritating.
Because this ingredient has a C8 fatty acid chain, it is outside the range that the Malassezia yeast metabolizes (making it fungal acne safe).
Learn more about Glyceryl CaprylateGlyceryl 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 StearatePolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is a plant-derived emulsifier whose only job is to keep the oily and watery parts of a formula blended so it doesn't separate into layers.
It's compatible with a wide-range of active ingredients and especially good at making emulsions survive heat/freeze cycles.
Typical use concentrations range from 2-3% and it works across a pH of 4.5-8.5.
This ingredient has been found safe to use in cosmetics and has a low irritation profile.
Because it's build on stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that falls within the range (C11-24) that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
