What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientPEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
PPG-9 Diglyceryl Ether
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate
EmulsifyingSoymilk Isoflavones
Antioxidant
Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentDiphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
Humectant
Glycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPentasodium Pentetate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Isododecane, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, PPG-9 Diglyceryl Ether, Polysorbate 60, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, Soymilk Isoflavones, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Cyclodextrin, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Squalane, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Pentasodium Pentetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearateWater. 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
