What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsohexadecane
EmollientC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Urea
Buffering
Mandelic Acid
Antimicrobial
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3
Skin Protecting
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Lecithin
Emollient
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Dextran
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Cholate
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Achillea Millefolium Extract
CleansingChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Viscum Album Leaf Extract
SoothingMelissa Officinalis Leaf Oil
Masking
Humulus Lupulus Extract
AntimicrobialFoeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract
EmollientAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Oleate
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
BHA
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Coumarin
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Isoeugenol
Perfuming
Water, Isohexadecane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Saccharide Isomerate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium PCA, Urea, Mandelic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycolic Acid, Caprooyl Tetrapeptide-3, Retinol, Sodium Lactate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Malus Domestica Fruit Cell Culture Extract, Allantoin, Lecithin, Alcohol, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Dipropylene Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Dextran, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Cholate, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Achillea Millefolium Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Viscum Album Leaf Extract, Melissa Officinalis Leaf Oil, Humulus Lupulus Extract, Foeniculum Vulgare Fruit Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Oleate, BHT, BHA, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Potassium Sorbate, Propylparaben, Parfum, Coumarin, Citral, Eugenol, Limonene, Isoeugenol
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Lanolin Alcohol
Emollient
Triethanolamine
BufferingHordeum Vulgare Extract
EmollientCucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seedcake
Abrasive
Propylene Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Trisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantCI 17200
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil, Urea, Lanolin Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seedcake, Propylene Glycol Dicaprate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 15985, CI 19140, CI 17200
Reviews
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 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Urea is also called carbamide and is the diamide of carbonic acid. In cosmetics, urea is used to hydrate the skin. It also provides exfoliation in higher concentrations.
As a humectant, urea helps draw moisture from the air and from deep within the skin. This helps hydrate your skin. Studies show urea is an effective moisturizer for dry skin conditions. 40% urea is typical in medications for treating eczema and other skin conditions.
Urea has the strongest exfoliation effect in concentrations higher than 10%. It is a keratolytic agent, meaning it breaks down the keratin protein in the top layer of skin. This helps remove dead skin cells and flaking skin.
In medicine, urea has been shown to help increase the potency of other ingredients, such as fungal treatments.
Humans and animals use urea to metabolize nitrogen-containing compounds. Urea is highly soluble in water. Once dissolved, it is neither acidic nor alkaline.
Urea is actually one of the more well-studied and well-supported ingredients out there if you have eczema.
Clinical trials have shown that urea creams in the 5 - 10% range can:
Higher concentrations (20 -30%) can also help with thickened, scaly patches but is also more likely to sting on active flares.
Skip urea if you have rosacea. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) lists it alongside alcohol, menthol, and fragrance as a potential irritant for rosacea-prone skin. Urea's keratolytic and penetration-enhancing properties can trigger stinging, burning, and redness.
As always, your skin is unique, so definitely check in with your dermatologist.
Learn more about UreaWater. 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
