What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPhospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract
Antioxidant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Betaine
Humectant
Honey
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Hexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Squalane, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phospholipids, Sodium Hydroxide, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Sphingolipids, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Betaine, Honey, Potassium Sorbate, Polysorbate 20, Hexylene Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Polyacrylamide
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingC13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Arachidyl Alcohol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cetearyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylene/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Arachidyl Glucoside, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Chlorphenesin, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Flower/Leaf/Stem Juice, Disodium EDTA, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Laureth-7, Pentylene Glycol, Ceramide NP
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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
