What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Apium Graveolens Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Disodium Phosphate
BufferingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Propanediol
Solvent
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientSodium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Persea Gratissima Oil, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Apium Graveolens Seed Extract, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Citric Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium Phosphate, Hydrated Silica, Propanediol, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Phosphate
Water
Skin ConditioningMyristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Borago Officinalis Seed Oil
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingBis-PCA Dimethicone
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
C11-15 Pareth-7
EmulsifyingC12-16 Pareth-9
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Decyl Oleate
Emollient
Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate
Cleansing
Trideceth-12
EmulsifyingTrimethylsiloxyamodimethicone
Citric Acid
Buffering
Etidronic Acid
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Myristyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Hydroxypropyl Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Aminomethyl Propanol, Bis-PCA Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, C11-15 Pareth-7, C12-16 Pareth-9, Caprylyl Glycol, Decyl Oleate, Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate, Trideceth-12, Trimethylsiloxyamodimethicone, Citric Acid, Etidronic Acid, Lauryl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Cetyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, 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.
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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinWater. 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
