What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Salicylic Acid 2%
MaskingWater
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientGlycolic Acid
BufferingGlycerin
HumectantSteareth-21
CleansingPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingC12-15 Alkyl Lactate
EmollientCetyl Lactate
EmollientPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingCocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Menthol
MaskingBenzalkonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCamellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
EmollientCI 61570
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantSalicylic Acid 2%, Water, Cetyl Alcohol, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Steareth-21, Polysorbate 60, C12-15 Alkyl Lactate, Cetyl Lactate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Cocamidopropyl Pg-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Menthol, Benzalkonium Chloride, Panthenol, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, CI 61570, CI 19140, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Urea
HumectantCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingDimethicone
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSteareth-21
CleansingNiacinamide
SmoothingGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide Eos
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCaprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Ceteareth-25
Cleansing3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningBehenic Acid
CleansingWater, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Stearyl Alcohol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP, Gluconolactone, Steareth-21, Niacinamide, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Cholesterol, Ceramide Ns, Polysorbate 60, Ethylhexylglycerin, Panthenol, Ceramide EOP, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Ceramide Eos, Hydroxyacetophenone, Cetyl Alcohol, Ceramide AP, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Tocopherol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Ceteareth-25, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Behenic Acid
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPolysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Steareth-21 is a nonionic emulsifier made by reacting stearyl alcohol with 21 units of ethylene oxide. It is mainly a cleansing agent and emulsifier.
The "21" in the name just tells you it has a longer water-loving chain. This makes it more gentle and less likely to irritate skin compared to lower-numbered steareths.
You'll most likely see it paired with steareth-2 because the two work together to create stable formulations.
1,4-dioxane is often brought up as a concern but this is usually removed through purification.
Learn more about Steareth-21Water. 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