What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Betaine
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Snail Secretion Filtrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Olivate, Stearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Niacinamide, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Xanthan Gum, Water, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Myristyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Centella Asiatica Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Polyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingParfum
Masking
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
Astringent
Aristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningEuterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract
Opuntia Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
CI 14720
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Isopropyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Parfum, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Propylene Glycol, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Aristotelia Chilensis Fruit Extract, Euterpe Oleracea Fruit Extract, Opuntia Vulgaris Extract, Retinol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Glycolic Acid, CI 14720, CI 42090
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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 Water
