What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Propanediol
Solvent
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Squalane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Cetearyl Glucoside, C14-22 Alcohols, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, N-Prolyl Palmitoyl Tripeptide-56 Acetate, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Caffeine, Lecithin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Xanthan Gum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Water
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Water
Astringent
Glycerin
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
PEG-8
HumectantHoney
Humectant
Rosa Canina Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenethyl Alcohol
MaskingHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dextrin
AbsorbentHydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cassia Alata Leaf Extract
AstringentDicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sphingolipids
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
AbsorbentCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil
Astringent
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Citric Acid
Buffering
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Fructooligosaccharides
Humectant
Carrageenan
Water, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, Glycerin, Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Octyldodecanol, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone, PEG-8, Honey, Rosa Canina Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Xanthan Gum, Phenethyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Dextrin, Hydrolyzed Hibiscus Esculentus Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Phospholipids, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Cassia Alata Leaf Extract, Dicaprylyl Ether, Gluconolactone, Carbomer, Hyaluronic Acid, Sphingolipids, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Allantoin, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Flower Oil, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-38, Glucose, Fructooligosaccharides, Carrageenan
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideGlycerin (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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
