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 ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Urea
Buffering
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient is a lightweight emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
It helps thicken a product's formula and makes it easier to spread by dissolving clumping compounds.
Caprylic Triglyceride is made by combining glycerin with coconut oil, forming a clear liquid. Though it behaves like an oil, it is not technically one due to its chemical composition. It is very stable, resistant to oxidation, and unlikely to go rancid. In practice, that translates to a long shelf life and a consistently elegant skin feel.
While there is an assumption Caprylic Triglyceride can clog pores due to it being derived from coconut oil, there is no research supporting this. Be sure to patch test if you have concerns.
Fractionated coconut oil and MCT Oil are both listed as Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride according to INCI. This is because INCI names are based on the ingredient’s final chemical composition and not its marketing name or source.
Learn more about Caprylic/Capric TriglycerideCetearyl 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 AlcoholSodium 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 HydroxideTocopheryl 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 AcetateUrea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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
