What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Coconut Alkanes
Emollient
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Ganoderma Lucidum Extract
Skin Protecting
Melatonin
Antioxidant
Inonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract
Skin Conditioning
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Glucose
Humectant
Sorbityl Laurate
Emulsifying
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sorbitan Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Behenyl Alcohol, Squalane, Coconut Alkanes, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Melatonin, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Glycerin, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Ahnfeltiopsis Concinna Extract, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Glucose, Sorbityl Laurate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Water
Skin ConditioningCetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningArctium Lappa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Morus Alba Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Persica Fruit Extract
Abrasive
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil
Emollient
Daucus Carota Sativa Root Water
MaskingBrassica Oleracea Italica Extract
AstringentPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cucumis Sativus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Apium Graveolens Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Lactuca Scariola Sativa Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelia Azadirachta Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol
Emollient
Betaine
Humectant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-4 Oleate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Olivate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Asparagus Officinalis Extract
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Phosphoric Acid
BufferingCorallina Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Propanediol, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract, Arctium Lappa Root Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica Fruit Extract, Bakuchiol, Rosa Rubiginosa Seed Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Water, Brassica Oleracea Italica Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Spinacia Oleracea Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Apium Graveolens Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Olivate, Lactuca Scariola Sativa Leaf Extract, Ceramide NP, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ferulic Acid, Tocopherol, Panthenol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Adenosine, Cetearyl Olivate, Hydrogenated Rapeseed Alcohol, Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Glyceryl Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Asparagus Officinalis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Phosphoric Acid, Corallina Officinalis Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinHydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.
It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.
This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.
Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.
Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.
A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Learn more about Hydrogenated LecithinWater. 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
