What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantLactose
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-8
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
EmollientTromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingIsopropyl Myristate
EmollientMethylparaben
PreservativeDisodium EDTA
BHT
AntioxidantPropylparaben
PreservativeMagnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin ConditioningChlorhexidine Digluconate
AntimicrobialRetinol
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingCopper Gluconate
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Lactose, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-8, Stearyl Alcohol, Tromethamine, Panthenol, Carbomer, Isopropyl Myristate, Methylparaben, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Propylparaben, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Retinol, Polysorbate 20, Copper Gluconate
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV AbsorberOctocrylene 3%
UV AbsorberWater
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientPtfe
Alcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialIsopropyl Isostearate
EmollientOctyldodecanol
EmollientAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingC13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientCapryloyl Salicylic Acid
ExfoliatingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
EmollientDisodium EDTA
Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlycine Soja Protein
EmulsifyingHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningLaureth-7
EmulsifyingLinalool
PerfumingMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeMica
Cosmetic ColorantPanthenol
Skin ConditioningPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePolyacrylamide
Retinyl Linoleate
Skin ConditioningSilica
AbrasiveSodium Benzoate
MaskingTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantParfum
MaskingButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 3%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 3%, Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Ptfe, Alcohol Denat., Isopropyl Isostearate, Octyldodecanol, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Steareth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Disodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glycine Soja Protein, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Laureth-7, Linalool, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylparaben, Mica, Panthenol, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Retinyl Linoleate, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Titanium Dioxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Parfum
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 CarbomerDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinMethylparaben is a synthetic preservative and one of the most widely used in the world. It has a simple, but important job: prevent your products from going bad by stopping bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Typical use levels are low, often 0.1-0.3%.
This is also one of the most heavily studied preservatives out there and major regulatory bodies have repeatedly given it the green light.
In 2023, the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) confirmed that this ingredient is safe up to 0.4% on its own, of up to 0.8% when mixed with other paraben esters.
Here's the science behind the noise behind parabens/hormones as well:
Methylparaben shows very weak estrogen-like activity in vitro tests (more than 1,000x weaker than your body's own estradiol). In vivo (live-organism) studies don't support a meaningful endocrine-disrupting effect either.
You get a stronger estrogenic effect from eating tofu, actually.
It's also a low sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon; they usually happen on damage or broken skin.
There is a caveat: France has proposed to formally re-examine its endocrine classification in 2025 so the regulatory conversation isn't fully closed as of yet.
But as it stands today, this ingredient is considered safe at permitted levels.
Learn more about MethylparabenPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Water. 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