What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Octyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-12 Glyceryl Dimyristate
Skin ConditioningStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Glycine Soja Sterols
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Laureth-23
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningKinetin
Skin ConditioningZeatin
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Elastin
EmollientSoluble Collagen
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Hydrochloric Acid
BufferingWater, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-12 Glyceryl Dimyristate, Stearyl Alcohol, Lactobacillus Ferment, Glycine Soja Sterols, Phenoxyethanol, Laureth-23, Dimethicone, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethoxydiglycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Kinetin, Zeatin, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Hydrolyzed Elastin, Soluble Collagen, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Hydrochloric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin Conditioning
Isosorbide Dicaprylate
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters
Skin Conditioning
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Glucose
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Squalene
Emollient
Phytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientSodium Anisate
AntimicrobialEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Carrageenan
Emulsion StabilisingSea Salt
Abrasive
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAlgin
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-25
CleansingSodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Eos, Cholesterol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Betaine, Xylitol, Beta-Glucan, Hydrolyzed Jojoba Esters, Jojoba Esters, Glucose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Squalene, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Saccharide Isomerate, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Glyceryl Caprylate, Sodium Anisate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenic Acid, Sodium Carrageenan, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum, Algin, Carbomer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Ceteareth-25, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerCetyl 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.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinPhenoxyethanol 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 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 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
