What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitol
HumectantSodium Acrylates Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
EmulsifyingPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientLecithin
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Gluconolactone, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitol, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Lecithin, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
AbrasiveLauric Acid
CleansingSodium Lauroyl Isethionate
CleansingSodium Methyl Lauroyl Taurate
CleansingCocamidopropyl Betaine
CleansingHydrogenated Soybean Oil
EmollientGlycine Soja Oil
EmollientSodium Chloride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantParfum
MaskingStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientHydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydroxystearic Acid
CleansingPrunus Persica Extract
CleansingOryza Sativa Extract
AbsorbentGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCapryloyl Glycine
CleansingUndecylenoyl Glycine
CleansingCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Sodium Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Lauric Acid, Sodium Lauroyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Lauroyl Taurate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Glycine Soja Oil, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Parfum, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Vegetable Glycerides, Sodium Benzoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydroxystearic Acid, Prunus Persica Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Capryloyl Glycine, Undecylenoyl Glycine, Citric Acid, Sodium Gluconate, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, CI 17200, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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 StearateWater. 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