What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Triolein
Skin Conditioning
Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Water, Glycerin, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Niacinamide, Oryza Sativa Extract, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Triolein, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Water, Squalane, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethoxydiglycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C12-17 Alkane
EmollientBetaine
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sorbitol
Humectant
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
PCA
Humectant
Serine
Masking
Alanine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Glutamic Acid
Humectant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Arginine
Masking
Proline
Skin Conditioning
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Brassica Campestris Sterols
EmollientEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Triethyl Citrate
Masking
Sodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Copper Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCyclodextrin
AbsorbentCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract
Skin ConditioningFolic Acid
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Elaeis Guineensis Butter
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Water, Glycerin, C12-17 Alkane, Betaine, Xylitol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitol, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, PCA, Serine, Alanine, Glycine, Glutamic Acid, Lysine Hcl, Threonine, Arginine, Proline, Hexyldecanol, Bisabolol, Cetylhydroxyproline Palmitamide, Stearic Acid, Brassica Campestris Sterols, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Behenic Acid, Polyglyceryl-10 Stearate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Triethyl Citrate, Sodium Levulinate, Potassium Sorbate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cyclodextrin, Cetyl Alcohol, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Bacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Folic Acid, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Gluconate, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Elaeis Guineensis Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Tocopheryl Acetate
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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolSqualane is the hydrogenated and shelf-stable form of squalene (a lipid that naturally occurs in human sebum).
It is an emollient and skin conditioning agent that is able to integrate seamlessly into the skin's lipid barrier without clogging pores.
This is due to how structurally similar it is to what your skin already produces.
Though it is mostly an emollient that helps soften and hydrate skin, it also has some humectant and occlusive action. Humectants help the skin retain moisture while occlusives seal it in, making squalane a triple-threat moisturizer.
Research shows it has antioxidant capabilities that help protect against stressors like UV exposure, specifically UVA induced oxidative stress. This study also found that it supports collagen biosynthesis in human dermal fibroblasts.
No clinical study has reported significant adverse effects and irritation reactions are very rare from this ingredient (even at 100% concentration).
Overall, it's a fantastic ingredient for hydration and is suitable for all skin types.
This depends on the source. Squalane can be derived from both plants and animals. Most squalane used in skincare comes from plants.
Please note: the source of squalane is only known if disclosed by the brand. We recommend reaching out to the brand if you have any questions about their squalane.
Read more about squalene with an "e".
Though squalane is often called an oil, it’s technically not one. It is a hydrocarbon, meaning it is only made of carbon and hydrogen. True oils are triglycerides and made of fatty acids and glycerol.
The term “oil-free” isn’t regulated so companies can define it however they want. Some exclude all oils, while others just avoid mineral oil or comedogenic oils.
Squalane has a comedogenic rating of 1 from the original 1972 study that tested raw ingredients under occlusion on rabbit ears. This system is not standardized or peer-reviewed, and using the raw ingredients is very different from how diluted cosmetic formulations are used on human skin.
A comedogenic rating of 1 means it is "unlikely to clog pores" according to the original rating system.
The overall formula of a product matters more than the individual ingredients on whether or not it will cause clogged pores.
Learn more about SqualaneWater. 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
