What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Dioleate
Emulsifying
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientPolyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Prunus Armeniaca Juice
MoisturisingEpilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sericin
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-10 Dioleate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Isododecane, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, BHT, Tocopherol, Water, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Juice, Epilobium Fleischeri Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Honey, Citric Acid, Sericin, Potassium Sorbate, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
PEG-8 Glyceryl Isostearate
Emollient
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate
EmollientPropylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientSqualane
Emollient
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Paraffinum Liquidum, PEG-8 Glyceryl Isostearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Tocopherol, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Bis-Ethoxydiglycol Cyclohexane 1,4-Dicarboxylate, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Squalane, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Isopropyl Myristate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
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 GlycerinParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Tocopherol 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 TocopherolWater. 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
