What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningUrea
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Distearate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil
Masking
Levulinic Acid
Perfuming
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
P-Anisic Acid
Masking
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingLactic Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tetrasodium EDTA
Sodium Chloride
MaskingWater, Urea, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Distearate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Serine, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, Levulinic Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Sodium Levulinate, Squalane, Sorbitol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Carbomer, Pentylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Caprylyl Glycol, P-Anisic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Tetrasodium EDTA, Sodium Chloride
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Adipate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Sorbitol
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octocrylene
UV Absorber
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV Absorber
Lecithin
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
Antioxidant
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract
RefreshingHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium Adenosine Triphosphate
Skin ConditioningCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ubiquinone
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Algin
Masking
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingDimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Antioxidant
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Diethylhexyl Adipate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Sorbitol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Octocrylene, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Alcohol, Carbomer, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Lecithin, Propanediol, Benzoic Acid, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium Adenosine Triphosphate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ubiquinone, Glyceryl Stearate, Citric Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Disodium EDTA, Algin, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Triethanolamine, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited. Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateAlso known as Avobenzone, this ingredient is a chemical sunscreen filter that provides protection in the UV-A range.
Avobenzone is globally approved and is the most commonly used UV-A filter in the world.
Studies have found that avobenzone becomes ineffective when exposed to UV light (it is not photostable; meaning that it breaks down in sunlight). Because of this, formulations that include avobenzone will usually contain stabilizers such as octocrylene.
However, some modern formulations (looking at you, EU!) are able to stabilize avobenzone by coating the molecules.
Avobenzone does not protect against the UV-B range, so it's important to check that the sunscreen you're using contains other UV filters that do!
The highest concentration of avobenzone permitted is 3% in the US, and 5% in the EU.
Learn more about Butyl MethoxydibenzoylmethaneC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is made up of Benzoic Acid and long chain alcohols. It has a low molecular weight.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is an emollient and texture enhancer. Due to its solubility, it is often used in sunscreens to help evenly distribute active ingredients.
As an emollient, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate helps soften and hydrate your skin. Emollients create a film on your skin that traps moisture within.
This ingredient has been reported to cause eye irritation.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCarbomer 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 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 StearateSodium 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 HydroxideSorbitol is a sugar alcohol. It is a hydrating and moisturizing agent created from the reduction process of glucose.
Most sorbitol is usually made from potato starch. It is also found in fruits such as apples and pears.
As a humectant, Sorbitol helps draw water to the skin. This helps keep the skin hydrated. Sorbitol also helps create a thicker texture in products. You might find sorbitol in your toothpaste and other gels.
It is a non-irritating ingredient that is great for those with dry skin.
Sorbitol is a prebiotic. It helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria on your skin. The bacteria on your skin form a microbiome. This microbiome helps protect your skin from infection and harmful bacteria.
Learn more about SorbitolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
