What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Isononyl Isononanoate
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient
Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract
MaskingParfum
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sorbitan Laurate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
Emulsifying3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid
Calcium Hydroxymethionine
Skin ConditioningPhyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract
HumectantDipropylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTetrasodium EDTA
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin
MaskingAcetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Gluconolactone, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Dimethiconol, Hibiscus Abelmoschus Extract, Parfum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Retinyl Palmitate, Caprylyl Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Sorbitan Laurate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, 3-Aminopropane Sulfonic Acid, Calcium Hydroxymethionine, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Tetrasodium EDTA, T-Butyl Alcohol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sophora Angustifolia Root Extract, Hydroxypropyl Cyclodextrin, Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester, Ceramide NP, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientDistarch Phosphate
AbsorbentNiacinamide
Smoothing
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Tripeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Acrylates Copolymer
PEG-100 Stearate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Distarch Phosphate, Niacinamide, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Tripeptide-3, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyacetophenone, Butylene Glycol, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Titanium Dioxide, Mica
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 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.
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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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
