What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Zea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Water
Skin ConditioningPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Oxidized Corn Oil
Skin Conditioning
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingPolymethyl Methacrylate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Lysine PCA
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Polyacrylamide
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Allantoin, Madecassoside, Zea Mays Starch, Water, Propylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Glycerin, Oleic Acid, Oxidized Corn Oil, Steareth-2, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Cetyl Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Lysine PCA, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Oleate, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Stearyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Polyacrylamide, Tocopherol, Myristyl Alcohol, Lauryl Alcohol, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocoglycerides
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingZea Mays Starch
Absorbent
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Lecithin
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningP-Anisic Acid
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Cocoglycerides, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Butylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Carbomer, Zea Mays Starch, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Lecithin, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, P-Anisic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited.
Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateCetyl 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 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 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.
Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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 WaterZea Mays Starch is starch made from corn. You might know this as cornstarch . It is used to thicken a product. It can replace talc as an absorbent.
The pH of cornstarch is 5.92.
Cornstarch is a common food ingredient used to thicken soups or to make corn syrup.
Learn more about Zea Mays Starch
