What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSynthetic Beeswax
Emulsion StabilisingSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
AntioxidantTetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin ConditioningColloidal Gold
AntimicrobialGlutathione
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingAllantoin
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSorbitan Sesquioleate
EmulsifyingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tromethamine
BufferingTocopherol
Antioxidant1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Synthetic Beeswax, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Colloidal Gold, Glutathione, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Disodium EDTA, Tromethamine, Tocopherol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
SmoothingWater
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantStearic Acid
CleansingPalmitic Acid
EmollientMyristic Acid
CleansingBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
EmollientPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
EmulsifyingSorbitan Isostearate
EmulsifyingSqualane
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Snail Secretion Filtrate, Glycerin, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Niacinamide, Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Myristic Acid, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Cetearyl Alcohol, Beeswax, Dimethicone, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Squalane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetearyl Olivate is a plant-derived emulsifier and texture enhancer. It helps keep the oil and water phases from separating so your formulas stay stable.
You'll likely see it combined with Sorbitan Olivate (together sold as the trade name Olivem 1000). This combination generates a liquid crystal structure that closely resemble the lipid organization of the stratum corneum.
These "skin-like" liquid crystals improve skin barrier integrity and promote the delivery of actives into the skin.
This ingredient is well-tolerated and has no significant sensitization data.
Because it is derived from the fatty acids in olive oil, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl OlivateDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 StearateHydroxyacetophenone is antioxidant with skin conditioning and soothing properties. It also boosts the efficiency of preservatives.
Though naturally occuring in Norwegian spruce needles, this ingredient is usually synthetically created.
This ingredient is not irritating or sensitizing. Recent research also suggests it may have skin-brightening effects through tyrosinase inhibition.
Learn more about HydroxyacetophenonePeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Polyacrylate-13 is a type of acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers are commonly used as adhesives in cosmetics.
Polyacrylate-13 creates a film to protect the skin. It is also used to thicken and stabilize a product. It works by making water a gel-like consistency. This gel consistency helps suspend particles.
Polyacrylate-13 is a copolymer of acrylic acid, acrylamide, sodium acrylate, sodium acryloyldimethyltaurate monomers
Learn more about Polyacrylate-13Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer made from isobutene.
It is a film-forming agent and helps bind ingredients together.
Polyisobutene is not absorbed by the skin.
Learn more about PolyisobutenePolysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
As an emulsifier, it keeps the water and oil ingredients from separating. This keeps formulas stable and smooth.
In a 24 hour occlusive patch test on 56 subjects, 10% sorbitan isostearate was completely non-irritating. Most formulas use less than 10%.
Because it's a fatty acid ester, it may not be fungal acne safe since the Malassezia yeast can utilize it as a nutrient source.
Learn more about Sorbitan IsostearateSorbitan Olivate is created from the fatty acids in olive oil and sorbitol.
This ingredient is an oil in water emulsifier. It helps stabilize a product by preventing oils and waters from separating. Sorbitan Olivate also helps hydrate the skin.
This ingredient is also known as part of Olivem 1000, with Cetearyl Olivate being the other part.
According to a manufacturer, this ingredient helps preserve the natural microbiome of skin. Having a healthy microbiome helps keep our skin healthy and protects against harmful bacteria.
Please note, having a healthy microbiome is different from fungal acne; a healthy microbiome includes small amounts of yeast that normally live on your skin without causing problems.
Fungal acne happens when one type of yeast (Malassezia) grows out of control. This is usually because it's feeding on certain oils or fatty acids. Due to the olive oil base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Sorbitan OlivateWater. 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