What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Laurate
Emollient
Sh-Polypeptide-50
Skin Conditioning
Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate
Antimicrobial
Camellia Japonica Seed Oil
Emollient
Fragaria Ananassa Seed Oil
Antioxidant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Acetic Acid
BufferingLevulinic Acid
Perfuming
Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPassiflora Incarnata Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningVanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Dextran
Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCurcuma Longa Root Extract
Masking
Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract
EmollientCoccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningOcimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract
TonicOcimum Sanctum Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSolanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Myristyl Nicotinate
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Laurate, Sh-Polypeptide-50, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Allantoin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Fragaria Ananassa Seed Oil, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Panthenol, Saccharomyces/Xylinum/Black Tea Ferment, Oryza Sativa Extract, Phaseolus Angularis Seed Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Acetic Acid, Levulinic Acid, Malpighia Glabra Fruit Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Passiflora Incarnata Flower Extract, Sodium Levulinate, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Leontopodium Alpinum Flower/Leaf Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Dextran, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Ocimum Basilicum Flower/Leaf Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Ectoin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Myristyl Nicotinate, Limonene, Linalool, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningIris Pallida Leaf Cell Extract
Antioxidant
Rosa Damascena Flower Water
Masking
Pelargonium Graveolens Oil
Masking
Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Myristyl Myristate, Isopropyl Myristate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Glycerin, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Dipeptide Diaminobutyroyl Benzylamide Diacetate, Propanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Betaine, Arginine, Sodium PCA, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Iris Pallida Leaf Cell Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil, Dibutyl Lauroyl Glutamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPalmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a synthetic signal lipopeptide. This just means it is a three amino acid chain bolted onto a palmitic acid tail so it can slip through the skin's lipid barrier.
This peptide has a "build more, lose less" approach.
It's designed to mimic the collagen-stimulating activity in your skin by copying a snippet of one of your skin's own matrix proteins. This nudges fibroblasts into making more collagen while inhibiting the enzyme that breaks down skin protein.
The manufacturer's in vivo study of 45 volunteers found 1% and 2.5% reduced the appearance of wrinkles by 7% and 12% respectively, after using it twice daily for 84 days.
This is in the expected range for peptides; they're slow and cumulative actives and not overnight fixers.
Typical use levels range from 1-3% and this ingredient gets along with pretty much everything.
On the fungal acne front:
Although palmitic acid sits in the chain length that Malassezia can feed on, this ingredient has it locked in an amine bond. This makes it hard for Malassezia to access as a source of food, and therefore fungal acne safe.
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
