What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Vegetable Oil
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Petrolatum
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Euphrasia Officinalis Extract
AntimicrobialTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantPvm/Ma Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyquaternium-24
Sodium Chloride
MaskingDiazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Vegetable Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Petrolatum, Ceteareth-20, Tocopherol, Hyaluronic Acid, Euphrasia Officinalis Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Pvm/Ma Copolymer, Polyquaternium-24, Sodium Chloride, Diazolidinyl Urea, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, CI 19140, CI 15985
Water
Skin ConditioningDecyl Cocoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salix Nigra Bark Extract
Skin ProtectingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Helichrysum Angustifolium Flower Extract
Masking
Zerumbone
Skin ConditioningGleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Polyglycerin-3
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialLevulinic Acid
Perfuming
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water, Decyl Cocoate, Glycerin, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Salix Nigra Bark Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, C10-18 Triglycerides, Jojoba Esters, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Levulinate, Caffeine, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Helichrysum Angustifolium Flower Extract, Zerumbone, Gleditsia Triacanthos Seed Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Sodium Gluconate, Tocopherol, Polyglycerin-3, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate, Levulinic Acid, Sorbitan Oleate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateTocopherol 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
