What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Surfactin
CleansingDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Surfactin, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Cera Alba, Sodium Lactate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium PCA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Maltodextrin, Beta-Glucan, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Levulinic Acid, Sodium Levulinate
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
PPG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether
EmollientPEG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether
EmollientOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Argilla
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium PCA
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
CI 40800
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Propylene Glycol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Squalane, Stearyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Myristyl Alcohol, PPG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether, PEG-5 Pentaerythrityl Ether, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Microcrystalline Wax, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Chlorphenesin, Potassium Sorbate, Glycine Soja Sterols, Argilla, Xanthan Gum, Sodium PCA, Allantoin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Persea Gratissima Oil, Tocopherol, Glycine Soja Oil, Lecithin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, CI 40800
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dimethicone 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 StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPeg-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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateSodium PCA is the sodium salt of pyroglutamic acid. It is naturally occurring in our skin's natural moisturizing factors where it works to maintain hydration.
The PCA stands for pyrrolidone carboxylic acid, a natural amino acid derivative.
This ingredient has skin conditioning, anti-inflammatory, and humectant properties. Humectants help hydrate your skin by drawing moisture from the air. This helps keep your skin moisturized.
Learn more about Sodium PCATocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
