What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLinalool
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, C15-19 Alkane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Ubiquinone, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Sorbitan Stearate, Cera Microcristallina, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzoic Acid, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Linalool, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Yucca Glauca Root Extract
Skin ProtectingRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract
Antioxidant
Ceramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Polyphenols
Antioxidant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Inulin Lauryl Carbamate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Sucrose Laurate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Yucca Glauca Root Extract, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Leontopodium Alpinum Callus Culture Extract, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Squalane, Caffeine, Resveratrol, Camellia Sinensis Polyphenols, Bisabolol, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Behentrimonium Chloride, Sucrose Laurate, PEG-100 Stearate, Xanthan Gum, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
Learn more about CarbomerCetearyl 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 AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
