What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningVinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Isohexadecane
EmollientIsopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sodium Polyacrylate Starch
Absorbent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Avena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Water, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isohexadecane, Isopropyl Isostearate, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Polyacrylate Starch, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Avena Sativa Peptide
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cannabidiol - Synthetically Produced
Antioxidant
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Cannabis Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Antioxidant
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Cannabidiol - Synthetically Produced, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Cannabis Sativa Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Panthenol, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Coco-Caprylate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl Glucoside is a sugar-based emulsifier. It is usually made by combining cetearyl alcohol and glucose.
Belonging to the aklyl polyglucoside (APG) family, Cetearyl Glucoside has a sugar "head" that loves water and a fatty "tail" that loves oil. This means it can shuffle oil and water into a stable and smooth emulsion.
Typical use levels are between 1-5% and this ingredient is considered to be non-irritating by the CIR Expert Panel Review.
Once applied, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down to the parent fatty alcohol and glucose. This is why this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl GlucosideCetyl 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
