What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil
Skin Protecting
Trehalose
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaffeine
Skin Conditioning
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract
Skin ConditioningMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Potato Starch Modified
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract
Astringent
Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Escin
TonicCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Tribehenin
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Glycyrrhizate
MaskingLactic Acid
Buffering
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Polyglucuronic Acid
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Glutamate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Water, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Passiflora Incarnata Seed Oil, Trehalose, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caffeine, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Yeast Extract, Maltodextrin, Stearic Acid, Potato Starch Modified, Tocopheryl Acetate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Escin, Ceramide Ng, Tribehenin, Lecithin, Panthenol, Ammonium Glycyrrhizate, Lactic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Polyglucuronic Acid, Citric Acid, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Triheptanoin
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract
Antioxidant
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTerminalia Arjuna Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLecithin
Emollient
Sodium Phytate
Water, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Caffeine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Triheptanoin, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Squalane, Palmitoyl Grapevine Shoot Extract, Oleic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Carbomer, Terminalia Arjuna Extract, Xanthan Gum, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Lecithin, Sodium Phytate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 GlycolCaffeine is a naturally occurring plant compound found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa pods, and guarana.
As an antioxidant, caffeine protects your skin from free radical damage caused by UV exposure and envionrmnetal stressors.
Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.
You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.
Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.
Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.
Learn more about CaffeineCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl 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.
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/CaprateLecithin 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 LecithinWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
