What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSilica
Abrasive
Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingGlycerin
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingC15-19 Alkane
SolventDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Bixa Orellana Seed Extract
MaskingPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
2,3-Butanediol
HumectantDisodium Tetramethylhexadecenylcysteine Formylprolinate
Skin ProtectingSodium Benzoate
Masking
Polyglycerin-10
HumectantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Propanediol, Niacinamide, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Silica, Polyglyceryl-2 Sesquioleate, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glycerin, Carbomer, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, C15-19 Alkane, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Maltodextrin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Bixa Orellana Seed Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Sorbitan Oleate, Ceramide NP, 2,3-Butanediol, Disodium Tetramethylhexadecenylcysteine Formylprolinate, Sodium Benzoate, Polyglycerin-10, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Stearate, Tocopherol, Ceramide AP, Ceramide As, Ceramide Ns, Cholesterol, Ceramide EOP
Water
Skin ConditioningSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCetearyl Isononanoate
Emollient
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Succinic Acid
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Ceteareth-12
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Chondrus Crispus Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Saccharide Isomerate, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Trideceth-6, Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Succinic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Ceteareth-12, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, 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 StearateHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolWater. 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
