What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
HumectantPhenyl Trimethicone
Skin ConditioningOenothera Biennis Oil
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Glucoside
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingBeeswax
Emulsion StabilisingChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingCentella Asiatica Extract
CleansingPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningVitex Agnus Castus Extract
Astringent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningLauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningSodium Dna
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAdenosine
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantSh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
AntioxidantTranexamic Acid
AstringentTrideceth-6
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientHydroxyacetophenone
AntioxidantDisodium EDTA
Parfum
MaskingWater, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Glucoside, Niacinamide, Beeswax, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Vitex Agnus Castus Extract, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Ceramide NP, Sodium Dna, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Adenosine, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Arginine, Carbomer, Tocopherol, Tranexamic Acid, Trideceth-6, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium EDTA, Parfum
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 AlcoholSodium DNA is an emerging anti-aging ingredient.
It is created by taking deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and purifying it with sodium hydroxide.
The DNA is extracted from several different animal sources, including: calf thymus, the gonadic tissue of a male sturgeon, or herring / salmon sperm.
You have probably seen this ingredient in anti-aging skincare. But what is it?
DNA is composed of nucleotides, or chemical building blocks. Nucleotides include adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). Talk about a flashback to biology! Nucleosides are formed from these nucleotides.
The science behind Sodium DNA is based on an ingredient called Polydeoxyribonucleotide or PDRN.
PDRN are DNA fragments mainly extracted from the sperm cells of trout or salmon. Meaning, PDRN can be derived from Sodium DNA.
PDRN consists of chains of nucleotides and nucleosides mentioned above. They can range anywhere from 80 - 2000 pairs.
Studies show PDRN has the following properties:
Most of the research on PDRN has been done using injectable forms. That’s important, because PDRN is a large molecule and doesn’t absorb well through the skin. So if you’re applying it topically, the effects are likely to be much milder.
Still, topical Sodium DNA is emerging as a trendy anti-aging ingredient. It’s generally well-tolerated and offers good biocompatibility with human skin, making it a low-risk addition to most routines.
Further studies are needed to truly confirm this ingredients anti-aging ability (Remember, retinol has decades of research!).
Sodium DNA may be sourced from fish, animal tissue, or plants. Since this isn’t always disclosed, we recommend asking the brand directly if the ingredient’s origin is important to you.
Learn more about Sodium DnaWater. 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