What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMilk Ferment
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Glycerin
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Methylparaben
Preservative
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water, Squalane, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Milk Ferment, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Alcohol Denat., Palmitic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Cyclohexasiloxane, Beeswax, Methylparaben, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclopentasiloxane
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientSea Water
HumectantSaccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Parfum
Masking
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Magnesium Sulfate
Calcium Chloride
AstringentLinalool
Perfuming
Sodium Citrate
BufferingCitric Acid
Buffering
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Butylphenyl Methylpropional
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningGeraniol
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
Manganese Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Zinc Sulfate
Antimicrobial
Lecithin
Emollient
Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract
HumectantNasturtium Officinale Extract
Perfuming
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract
Skin ConditioningAscorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Glycerin, Methyl Trimethicone, Phenyl Trimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Sea Water, Saccharide Isomerate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Parfum, Glyceryl Caprylate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Hyaluronic Acid, Magnesium Sulfate, Calcium Chloride, Linalool, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Limonene, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Geraniol, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Manganese Sulfate, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Tocopherol, Zinc Sulfate, Lecithin, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Nasturtium Officinale Extract, Glycine Soja Oil, Lepidium Sativum Sprout Extract, Ascorbyl Glucoside
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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 StearateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
