What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Tapioca Starch
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Propionate
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Laureth-4
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingDimethiconol
Emollient
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Aminomethyl Propanol
BufferingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Disodium EDTA
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Retinol, Retinyl Propionate, Niacinamide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, DMDM Hydantoin, Polysorbate 20, Laureth-4, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Laureth-7, Dimethiconol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Aminomethyl Propanol, Titanium Dioxide, Disodium EDTA, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
Polyacrylamide
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Arnica Montana Flower Extract
Masking
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHexylene Glycol
EmulsifyingLaureth-7
EmulsifyingAmmonium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycolic Acid, Cyclopentasiloxane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycerin, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Polyacrylamide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Dimethylmethoxy Chromanyl Palmitate, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hexylene Glycol, Laureth-7, Ammonium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol
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 also known as "C13-14 Isoalkane".
C13-14 Isoparaffin is created from petroleum-based mineral oils. It is an emollient and helps thicken a product.
As an emollient, it helps keep the skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier on top. This barrier traps moisture in, keeping the skin hydrated.
C13-14 Isoparaffin may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about C13-14 IsoparaffinDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeDisodium 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 GlycerinLaureth-7 is created by the ethoxylation of lauryl alcohol using ethylene oxide. Lauryl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with hydrating properties.
This ingredient is an emulsifier and cleansing ingredient. As an emulsifier, it is used to prevent ingredients from separating. It also helps cleanse the skin by gathering dirt, oil, and pollutants to be rinsed away.
Polyacrylamide is a synthetic polymer. It is used to stabilize products and bind ingredients. When hydrated, Polyacrylamide forms a soft gel.
Polyacrylamide is low-toxicity. If source properly, it is deemed safe to use in cosmetics.
It should be noted the precursor to Polyacrylamide is acrylamide. Acrylamide is a carcinogen. Most reputable sources of Polyacrylamide will screen for residual acrylamide to make sure the count is in a safe range. Acrylamide is not able to be absorbed through the skin.
We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Learn more about PolyacrylamideWater. 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
