What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Lactose
HumectantC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-8
HumectantStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tromethamine
BufferingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Methylparaben
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
BHT
Antioxidant
Propylparaben
Preservative
Magnesium Aspartate
Skin ConditioningZinc Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Chlorhexidine Digluconate
Antimicrobial
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Copper Gluconate
Skin Conditioning
Water, 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
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Diheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract
MaskingDarutoside
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Castanea Sativa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydrolyzed Pea Protein
EmollientLecithin
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Physalis Angulata Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract, Darutoside, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Castanea Sativa Seed Extract, Sorbitan Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydrolyzed Pea Protein, Lecithin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Phytosterols, Squalane, Ceramide NP, Propanediol, Physalis Angulata Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Chlorphenesin
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearatePeg-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
