What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantMethylpropanediol
SolventDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantPetrolatum
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningLinoleic Acid
CleansingLinolenic Acid
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientTriheptanoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyisobutene
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeC9-12 Alkane
SolventAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPolyurethane-10
PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Triethanolamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Petrolatum, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Trehalose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentylene Glycol, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Triheptanoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Phenoxyethanol, C9-12 Alkane, Allantoin, Polyurethane-10, PEG-7 Trimethylolpropane Coconut Ether, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientJojoba Esters
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
EmollientSorbitan Stearate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCetyl Alcohol
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 40
EmulsifyingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialAvena Sativa Bran Extract
AbrasiveCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMusa Acuminata Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Fructose
HumectantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingWithania Somnifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBackhousia Citriodora Leaf Extract
AstringentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingActinidia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Propanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Jojoba Esters, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Dimethicone, Sorbitan Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polysorbate 40, Chlorphenesin, Avena Sativa Bran Extract, Carbomer, Musa Acuminata Leaf Extract, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Fructose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aminomethyl Propanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Extract, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Withania Somnifera Root Extract, Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Actinidia Chinensis Seed Oil
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerCetyl 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateDicaprylyl Carbonate comes from carbonic acid and caprylyl alcohol, a fatty alcohol. It is an emollient and gives skin a velvet feel. The sources of Dicaprylyl Carbonate may be synthetic or from animals.
As an emollient, Dicaprylyl Carbonate creates a film on the skin. This film traps moisture in, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Ethylhexylglycerin 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 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 StearateThis is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
It is also an emulsifer, meaning it prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It also helps evenly disperse other ingredients.
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.
Sodium 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 HyaluronateTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
Water. 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