What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Urea
Buffering
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Squalane
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Artemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus/Aloe Barbadensis Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningPrunus Mume Fruit Extract
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Carica Papaya Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Collagen Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tremella Fuciformis Extract
Humectant
Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningDioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHordeum Distichon Extract
Skin ProtectingCalendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Tromethamine
BufferingHectorite
AbsorbentXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Isopropyl Myristate, Lactic Acid, Urea, Glycolic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Squalane, Centella Asiatica Extract, Bisabolol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Lactobacillus/Aloe Barbadensis Ferment Filtrate, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Carica Papaya Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Collagen Extract, Tremella Fuciformis Extract, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hordeum Distichon Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Tromethamine, Hectorite, Xanthan Gum, Butylene Glycol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, 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.
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
As an emulsifier, Glyceryl Stearate Se prevents ingredients such as oil and water from separating. It is also a surfactant, meaning it helps cleanse the skin. Surfactants help gather oil, dirt, and other pollutants so they may be rinsed away easily.
Emollients help your skin stay smooth and soft. It does so by creating a film on top of the skin that helps trap moisture in.
Learn more about Glyceryl Stearate SeWater. 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
