What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
EmollientSodium Hydroxide
BufferingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCopper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Carbomer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Sodium Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Disodium EDTA, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Gluconate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientC15-19 Alkane
SolventGlyceryl Stearate Se
EmulsifyingPetrolatum
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPantolactone
HumectantHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, C15-19 Alkane, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Petrolatum, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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