What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientNiacinamide
Smoothing
Diisopropyl Adipate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Petrolatum
Emollient
Diisopropyl Sebacate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingC9-12 Alkane
SolventEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyurethane-10
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Triethanolamine
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Isododecane, Niacinamide, Diisopropyl Adipate, Propylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Petrolatum, Diisopropyl Sebacate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Betaine, Phenoxyethanol, Triheptanoin, Carbomer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, C9-12 Alkane, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyurethane-10, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Triethanolamine
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantIngredients 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 CarbomerEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinPetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol 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.
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
