What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Skin Conditioning
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Sh-Polypeptide-50
Skin Conditioning
Keratin
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMaltodextrin
Absorbent
Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract
MaskingCitric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Mannitol
Humectant
Sodium Carbonate
BufferingBenzoic Acid
Masking
Phosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Decyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Isopropyl Cloprostenate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Panthenol, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Lactic Acid, Sh-Polypeptide-50, Keratin, Ceramide NP, Carbomer, Maltodextrin, Rubus Fruticosus Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Sorbate, Mannitol, Sodium Carbonate, Benzoic Acid, Phosphatidylcholine, Sodium Benzoate, Decyl Glucoside, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isopropyl Cloprostenate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningIsobutane
Trimethoxycaprylylsilane
SmoothingOleth-100
SurfactantCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Terminalia Chebula Extract
AstringentBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicAsparagus Racemosus Root Powder
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Folic Acid
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Fatty Acid Ester
EmulsifyingDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Isobutane, Trimethoxycaprylylsilane, Oleth-100, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Terminalia Chebula Extract, Biotin, Asparagus Racemosus Root Powder, Sodium Hyaluronate, Folic Acid, Sorbitan Fatty Acid Ester, Decyl Glucoside, Pvm/Ma Decadiene Crosspolymer, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Phenoxyethanol
Alternatives
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDecyl Glucoside is a plant-derived surfactant and emulsion stabilizer. It is created by reacting glucose with the fatty acids from plants.
Like all surfactants, it works by lowering the surface tension between water and oil. This makes it so that dirt, sebum, and makeup can be lifted off your skin and rinsed away. It also produces a dense and creamy foam.
Because it has a neutral charge, it is compatible with a wide range of ingredients and stays stable across a broad pH range/water hardiness conditions.
Patch testing has shown it to have the lowest irritation potential among common cleansing surfactants (like SLS).
Typical use levels range from 5-20% in rinse-off cleansers.
One thing worth knowing: The American Contact Dermatitis Society named the parent family, alkyl glucosides, "Allergen of the Year" in 2017. The prevalence of allergy is pretty low but be sure to patch test if you've reacted to "gentle" or sulfate-free cleansers before.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because the fatty alcohol portion of this ingredient is not within the C11-24 chain length that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Decyl 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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol 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.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
