What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Undaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Saccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil
Masking
Lavandula Hybrida Oil
Emollient
Salvia Officinalis Oil
Masking
Artemisia Vulgaris Oil
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Isohexadecane, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Dipropylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Beta-Glucan, Carbomer, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Tromethamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Maltodextrin, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Allantoin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Pogostemon Cablin Leaf Oil, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Salvia Officinalis Oil, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
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 CarbomerCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPolyglyceryl-6 Behenate isn't fungal acne safe.
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate isn't fungal acne safe.
Salvia Officinalis Oil is an oil.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineWater. 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
