What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantMyristyl Alcohol
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialStearic Acid
CleansingPetrolatum
EmollientMyristyl Myristate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientHydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantLanolin Alcohol
EmollientPolyglyceryl-2 Caprate
EmulsifyingParfum
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Glycerin, Myristyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Stearic Acid, Petrolatum, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Dimethicone, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lanolin Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-2 Caprate, Parfum, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
AbrasiveDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantButylene Glycol
HumectantTrehalose
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantUrsolic Acid
MaskingAminobutyric Acid
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
EmollientHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingMadecassoside
AntioxidantPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSucrose Distearate
EmollientPropylene Glycol
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ns
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingSodium Citrate
BufferingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Glucoside, Butylene Glycol, Trehalose, Saccharide Isomerate, Ursolic Acid, Aminobutyric Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Allantoin, Cholesterol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Madecassoside, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Glyceryl Stearate, Sucrose Distearate, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Ceramide NP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Carbomer, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
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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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 StearatePhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Water. 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