What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cichorium Intybus Root Extract
MaskingHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract
Skin ProtectingAcetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Mannitol
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingArachidyl Propionate
EmollientEthyl Linoleate
Emollient
Ethyl Linolenate
Emollient
Ethyl Oleate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
Cleansing
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSorbic Acid
Preservative
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Octyldodecanol, Glycerin, Cocoglycerides, Butylene Glycol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cichorium Intybus Root Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Candida Saitoana Extract, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Mannitol, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Arachidyl Propionate, Ethyl Linoleate, Ethyl Linolenate, Ethyl Oleate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Sodium Polyacrylate, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sorbitan Laurate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sorbic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Dimethiconol, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Myreth-3 Myristate
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
PEG-100 Stearate
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
PEG-Crosspolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMyristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Biotin
AntiseborrhoeicParfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat., Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Myreth-3 Myristate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Pentylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Octyldodecanol, Synthetic Wax, Tin Oxide, PEG-100 Stearate, CI 17200, CI 15985, CI 77891, Stearyl Alcohol, Mica, Potassium Sorbate, Carbomer, Sorbitol, Glyceryl Stearate, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Myristyl Alcohol, Sodium Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Adenosine, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Caprylyl Glycol, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Biotin, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone 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 StearateHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcelluloseOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
Peg-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 SorbateTocopherol 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
