What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Isopropyl Myristate, Tapioca Starch, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Parfum, Salicylic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Lauric Acid, Myristic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, CI 19140, CI 42090
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingMyristyl Glucoside
CleansingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glycerin, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Palmitic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Myristyl Glucoside, Sodium Gluconate, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Myristic Acid
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 AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPhenoxyethanol 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 HydroxideStearic 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
