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
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningSorbeth-30 Tetraoleate
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
PEG-8 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Butylparaben
Masking
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
Humectant
BHT
Antioxidant
Propylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Hexyldecanol
Emollient
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingRosa Canina Fruit Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pyrus Malus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Paraffinum Liquidum, Isopropyl Palmitate, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate, Water, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-8 Diisostearate, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, BHT, Propylparaben, Sodium Benzoate, Hexyldecanol, Phenethyl Alcohol, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Pyrus Malus Seed Extract, Glycerin, Methylparaben, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTGlycerin (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 LiquidumPeg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate comes from Isostearic Acid and glycerin.
It is an emollient, emulsifier, and gentle cleanser. As an emollient, it helps trap moisture to keep skin soft and hydrated. Emulsifiers help prevent ingredients from separating.
This ingredient is common in oil-based products. This is because it helps oil-ingredients be easily washed away without leaving a residue.
Peg-20 Glyceryl Triisostearate may not be fungal-acne safe.
Learn more about PEG-20 Glyceryl TriisostearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
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
