What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Isohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Isostearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Shea Butter
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin Conditioning
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Polyacrylamide
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
CI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantAvena Sativa Peptide
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Isostearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Shea Butter, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Glycolic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Dimethiconol, Caprylyl Glycol, Laureth-7, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Behenyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Polyacrylamide, Sodium Hydroxide, PEG-100 Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, CI 17200, Avena Sativa Peptide, Ascorbic Acid, Tocopherol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Parfum
Masking
Methylparaben
Preservative
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Stearamide Amp
Coumarin
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Phenoxyethanol, Cetyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Parfum, Methylparaben, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Propylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Stearamide Amp, Coumarin, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene, Linalool, Caramel
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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 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 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 GlycerinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPeg-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.
Phenoxyethanol 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
