What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientOctyldodecyl Myristate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Xylitol
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylic/Capric Glycerides
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, Xylitol, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Dicitrate/Stearate, Betaine, Bisabolol, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Arachidyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica, T-Butyl Alcohol, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer
Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lactococcus Ferment Lysate
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPolyacrylate-13
Polyisobutene
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Dimethicone
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientCetearyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone/PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetyl-Pg Hydroxyethyl Palmitamide, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Cholesterol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, Oryza Sativa Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment Lysate Filtrate, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyacrylate-13, Polyisobutene, Polysorbate 20, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Dimethicone, Isohexadecane, Cetearyl Methicone, PEG-40 Stearate, Steareth-2, Steareth-21, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Octyldodecanol, Sorbitan Stearate, Zea Mays Starch, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin
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 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 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 WaterXylitol is a humectant and prebiotic. It can help with dry skin.
In studies, xylitol has been shown to improve dry skin. It decreased transepidermal water loss, or when water passes through the skin and evaporates. Xylitol also showed to help improve the biomechanical properties of the skin barrier.
The prebiotic property of xylitol may also help reinforce our skin's natural microbiome. Having a healthy microbiome prevents infection by bad bacteria and helps with hydration.
As a humectant, Xylitol helps draw moisture from both the air and from deeper skin layers. This helps keep skin hydrated.
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol and commonly used as a sugar substitute. It is naturally occurring in plants such as strawberries and pumpkin.
Learn more about Xylitol
