What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Farnesene
EmollientPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Propylheptyl Caprylate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Cyanocobalamin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Fructose
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Hydrogenated Farnesene, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Betaine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Trehalose, Panthenol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Propylheptyl Caprylate, Propanediol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Cyanocobalamin, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Inulin, Cellulose, Fructose, Glucose, Glycine Soja Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cellulose Gum, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientLinoleic Acid
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingAlpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Linoleic Acid, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Inulin, Phenoxyethanol, Sclerotium Gum, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Stearyl Alcohol, Phospholipids, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Ceramide NP, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Linolenic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide Ng, Citric Acid, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinInulin is a polysaccharide (carbohydrate) with prebiotic and antioxidant properties.
The majority of inulin is extracted from chicory, but can also be obtained from other plants such as garlic, onion, asparagus, and sugarcane.
Studies show inulin may help with controlling your skin's natural microbiota when applied topically.
The antioxidant potential of inulin varies depending on the source.
Learn more about InulinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
