What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPetrolatum
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantEthylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientC10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters
EmulsifyingCera Alba
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientOlus Oil
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingPropylene Glycol
HumectantOligopeptide-5
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningSoluble Collagen
HumectantZea Mays Oil
EmulsifyingSodium Borate
BufferingTriethanolamine
BufferingDiazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPropylparaben
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeGlyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeTocopherol
AntioxidantHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingWater, Petrolatum, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Cetyl Alcohol, C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Cera Alba, Dimethicone, Olus Oil, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Oligopeptide-5, Retinyl Palmitate, Soluble Collagen, Zea Mays Oil, Sodium Borate, Triethanolamine, Diazolidinyl Urea, Sodium Benzoate, Propylparaben, Methylparaben, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol, Hexyl Cinnamal
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientUndecane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningTrifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2
Skin ConditioningTetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientTridecane
PerfumingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantGlycol Distearate
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingDextran
Magnesium Chloride
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater, Glyceryl Stearate, Propanediol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Isopropyl Palmitate, Undecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-5 Diaminobutyroyl Hydroxythreonine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Trifluoroacetyl Tripeptide-2, Tetradecyl Aminobutyroylvalylaminobutyric Urea Trifluoroacetate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tridecane, Allantoin, Tocopherol, Glycol Distearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Butylene Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Dextran, Magnesium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Xanthan Gum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 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.
Tocopherol 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