What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
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 Cera
EmollientPersea Gratissima Oil
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientParfum
MaskingLecithin
EmollientSodium Citrate
BufferingP-Anisic Acid
MaskingChlorphenesin
AntimicrobialAllantoin
Skin ConditioningWater, 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 Cera, Persea Gratissima Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Parfum, Lecithin, Sodium Citrate, P-Anisic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Allantoin
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientSambucus Nigra Flower Water
Skin ConditioningTremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide
Emulsion StabilisingStearyl Alcohol
EmollientPotassium Phosphate
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-40 Stearate
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingDipotassium Phosphate
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sambucus Nigra Flower Water, Tremella Fuciformis Polysaccharide, Stearyl Alcohol, Potassium Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-40 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polysorbate 20, Cetyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
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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