What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
Propanediol
Solvent
Euphorbia Cerifera Wax
Water
Skin ConditioningSolanum Tuberosum Pulp Extract
SmoothingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Trihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Bromelain
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucose
Humectant
Panthenyl Triacetate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Cellulose
Absorbent
Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Phytate
Hydroxypropylcellulose
EmulsifyingGlycerin, Sodium Bicarbonate, Propanediol, Euphorbia Cerifera Wax, Water, Solanum Tuberosum Pulp Extract, Glyceryl Stearate, Trihydroxystearin, Bromelain, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucose, Panthenyl Triacetate, Pentylene Glycol, Cellulose, Furcellaria Lumbricalis Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Phytate, Hydroxypropylcellulose
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Bicarbonate
Abrasive
PEG-8
HumectantMagnesium Oxide
AbsorbentGlycerin
Humectant
Oleth-20
CleansingTrihydroxystearin
Skin Conditioning
Silica
Abrasive
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract
Antioxidant
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Water
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Alaria Esculenta Extract
Skin ProtectingButylene Glycol, Sodium Bicarbonate, PEG-8, Magnesium Oxide, Glycerin, Oleth-20, Trihydroxystearin, Silica, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Water, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Alaria Esculenta Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearateSilica, also known as silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring mineral. It is used as a fine, spherical, and porous powder in cosmetics.
Though it has exfoliant properties, the function of silica varies depending on the product.
The unique structure of silica enhances the spreadability and adds smoothness, making it a great texture enhancer.
It is also used as an active carrier, emulsifier, and mattifier due to its ability to absorb excess oil.
In some products, tiny microneedles called spicules are made from silica or hydrolyzed sponge. When you rub them in, they lightly polish away dead skin layers and enhance the penetration of active ingredients.
Learn more about SilicaSodium Bicarbonate has a more famous name: Baking soda.
In cosmetics, it is used to adjust the acidity. Due to its white crystalline solid form, it can also be an abrasive (exfoliator).
This ingredient is water-soluble.
Learn more about Sodium BicarbonateThis ingredient comes from Hydroxystearic Acid, a fatty acid, and glycerin. It is used to thicken oils.
Due to its fatty acid content, it is a natural emollient.
Creating trihydroxystearin involves using a chemical reaction between hydrogen and castor oil.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis safe.
Learn more about TrihydroxystearinWater. 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
