What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingParaffin
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMorus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningScutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Linolenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Salicylic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Xanthan Gum, Paraffin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Saxifraga Sarmentosa Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Linoleic Acid, Linolenic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Glycolic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Cetyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Parfum
Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%
Water
Skin ConditioningMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventDisodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate
Cleansing
Tridecyl Stearate
Emollient
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientParaffin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Esters
Emollient
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientTrisodium Sulfosuccinate
BufferingPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Sulfate
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Benzoyl Peroxide 2.5%, Water, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitol, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Disodium PEG-12 Dimethicone Sulfosuccinate, Tridecyl Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Paraffin, Cetyl Esters, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Trisodium Sulfosuccinate, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Sodium Sulfate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, 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.
Glyceryl 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 StearateParaffin is a solid wax that pulls its weight as an emollient, occlusive, and consistency-booster.
It softens skin and lays down a protective film to slow water loss and gives products a stable body and structure.
The cosmetic grade stuff is highly refined with a solid safety record. The CIR Expert Panel has repeatedly reaffirmed this ingredient to be safe in current practices of use and concentration.
The worry about carcinogenic compounds only applies to industrial grades, not the purified version used in skincare.
Despite its reputation, the highly reformed form is non-comedogenic and doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
The good news for fungal-acne prone folks: the Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids and lipids and paraffin doesn't contain any of these (so there's nothing for the yeast to metabolize). This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe.
Learn more about ParaffinParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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
