What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Methylpropanediol
SolventHydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Dimethyl Sulfone
SolventCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
C12-14 Alketh-12
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSalicylic Acid
Masking
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
4-Terpineol
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningZinc PCA
Humectant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Colloidal Sulfur
AntimicrobialDisodium EDTA
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glucose
Humectant
Coptis Japonica Extract
AntimicrobialTocopherol
Antioxidant
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Troxerutin
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract
Skin ConditioningSalix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Coffea Arabica Seed Extract
Masking
Geraniol
Perfuming
Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAsparagus Cochinchinensis Root Extract
Skin ConditioningAureobasidium Pullulans Ferment
Skin ConditioningHydroxycinnamic Acid
Skin ConditioningRutin
Antioxidant
Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Niacinamide, Methylpropanediol, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dimethicone, Dimethyl Sulfone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Palmitic Acid, C12-14 Alketh-12, Stearic Acid, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Allantoin, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Salicylic Acid, O-Cymen-5-Ol, 4-Terpineol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Zinc PCA, Adenosine, Butylene Glycol, Colloidal Sulfur, Disodium EDTA, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Myristyl Alcohol, Glucose, Coptis Japonica Extract, Tocopherol, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Oleic Acid, Limonene, Troxerutin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Cladosiphon Okamuranus Extract, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Decyl Glucoside, Levulinic Acid, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Geraniol, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Lepidium Meyenii Root Extract, Asparagus Cochinchinensis Root Extract, Aureobasidium Pullulans Ferment, Hydroxycinnamic Acid, Rutin
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Triethanolamine
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion Stabilising
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer 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 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 Stearate
