What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate
Cleansing
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Disodium EDTA
Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil
Masking
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract
CleansingPropanediol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Benzyl Glycol
SolventHydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans
HumectantHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Arachidic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oleic Acid, Quillaja Saponaria Bark Extract, Propanediol, Citric Acid, Mannitol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzyl Glycol, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate
Saposhnikovia Divaricata Root Extract
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingWater
Skin ConditioningPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycol Distearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
PEG-100 Stearate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientOzokerite
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Sodium Chloride
MaskingStearyl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Acid
Capric Acid
Cleansing
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Cocamidopropyl Betaine
Cleansing
Parfum
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Saposhnikovia Divaricata Root Extract, Glycerin, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Water, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Glycol Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, PEG-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ozokerite, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Beeswax, Sodium Chloride, Stearyl Stearate, Hydrogenated Palm Acid, Capric Acid, Oleic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Parfum, Linalool, Limonene
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
Glycerin (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 StearateLauric Acid is a saturated fatty acid naturally found in coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and even breast milk.
In cosmetics, it is an:
Lab studies have found that lauric acid is surprisingly good at killing acne-causing bacteria. However, these tests were done on bacteria in a petri dish and not on real skin, so we can't say for certain it works the same in a formulation on a real face.
The comedogenic rating of 4 comes from the 1972 rabbit ear model using undiluted ingredients. Comedogenicity is highly individual and one comedogenic ingredient cannot predict how a formula will behave on skin.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe and research has confirmed Malassezia can use it as a food source.
Learn more about Lauric AcidMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidOleic Acid is an Omega-9 fatty acid that can be found naturally in your skin's sebum and in many plant oils such as avocado and olive oil.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and prevent moisture loss.
Research shows:
A 1998 study did find that applying oleic acid at higher concentrations may cause irritation and disrupt the skin barrier. Modern formulations typically use low levels that is well-tolerated.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Oleic Acid, at C18, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Oleic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
Learn more about Oleic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPotassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Sapnification is the process of creating fatty acid metal salts from triglycerides and a strong base. During this process, Potassium Hydroxide is used up and is not present in the final product.
Using high concentrations of Potassium Hydroxide have shown to irritate the skin.
Learn more about Potassium HydroxideStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
