What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientMethylglucamine Hcl
Skin ConditioningArginine Hcl
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Squalane
Emollient
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Water, Lecithin, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Isododecane, Methylglucamine Hcl, Arginine Hcl, Dimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Polysorbate 80, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Squalane, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientPolysilicone-11
Salix Alba Bark Extract
Astringent
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Propanediol
Solvent
Polyacrylamide
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSaccharum Officinarum Extract
MoisturisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingCitrus Limon Fruit Extract
Masking
Acer Saccharum Extract
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLaureth-7
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Laureth-12
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingSodium Carbonate
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Dimethicone, Isododecane, Polysilicone-11, Salix Alba Bark Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Lactic Acid, Propanediol, Polyacrylamide, Butylene Glycol, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit Extract, Saccharum Officinarum Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Citrus Limon Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Bisabolol, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Glycerin, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Isopropyl Myristate, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Laureth-7, Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Decyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Laureth-12, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Sodium Carbonate, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is also known as "C13-14 Isoalkane".
C13-14 Isoparaffin is created from petroleum-based mineral oils. It is an emollient and helps thicken a product.
As an emollient, it helps keep the skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in, keeping the skin hydrated.
C13-14 Isoparaffin may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about C13-14 IsoparaffinDimethicone 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 DimethiconeDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinIsododecane is a fragrance, emollient, and solvent.
As an emollient, it helps your skin stay soft and hydrated. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin.
Isododecane's role as a solvent makes it a great texture enhancer. It spreads smoothly on skin and does not leave a sticky feeling behind. Isododecane also helps prevent color transfer in makeup products.
Isododecane is not absorbed into skin.
The chemical name for this ingredient is 2,2,4,6,6-PENTAMETHYLHEPTANE.
Learn more about IsododecaneIsopropyl Myristate is an emollient, thickening agent, and texture enhancer. It is created from isopropyl alcohol and myristic acid.
It is used to help other ingredients be better absorbed. It is also an emollient and may help soften and hydrate the skin.
The comedogenic rating of this ingredient depends on the concentration. Lower amounts results in a lower rating.
Isopropyl Myristate may not be fungal acne safe. It can potentially worsen acne prone skin.
Learn more about Isopropyl MyristateLaureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
This ingredient is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.
Lecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.
It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.
We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about PolyacrylamideSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
