What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBHT
Antioxidant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Polyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Disodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Water, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Glycerin, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Glyceryl Behenate, Retinol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbic Acid, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrolyzed Myrtus Communis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Stearyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 20, Allyl Methacrylates Crosspolymer, BHT, Ceteareth-20, Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum
Calendula Officinalis Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Retinyl Palmitate
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingJuniperus Mexicana Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Calendula Officinalis Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polysorbate 60, Betaine, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Retinyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Olivate, Panthenol, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Allantoin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Tocopherol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeEthylhexylglycerin 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 GlycerinTocopherol 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 Tocopherol
