What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantPropylene Glycol
HumectantButyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane
UV AbsorberC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientAscorbyl Glucoside
AntioxidantRetinyl Propionate
Skin ConditioningRetinol
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Glyceryl Behenate
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
EmollientAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
C13-14 Isoparaffin
EmollientPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract
HumectantLaureth-7
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
O-Cymen-5-Ol
AntimicrobialBHT
AntioxidantHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientLecithin
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantBHA
AntioxidantGlyceryl Oleate
EmollientSalicylic Acid
MaskingCitric Acid
BufferingPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeEthylparaben
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeParfum
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingButylphenyl Methylpropional
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingBenzyl Cinnamate
PerfumingAlpha-Isomethyl Ionone
PerfumingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingCinnamyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cetyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Retinyl Propionate, Retinol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Glyceryl Behenate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Xanthan Gum, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Polysorbate 20, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Laureth-7, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, O-Cymen-5-Ol, BHT, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Lecithin, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, BHA, Glyceryl Oleate, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Parfum, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Coumarin, Benzyl Cinnamate, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Cinnamyl Alcohol
Water
Skin ConditioningBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCeteth-20
CleansingPropanediol
SolventC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientGluconolactone
Skin ConditioningAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Oligopeptide-1
Skin ConditioningNicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-5
Skin ConditioningNicotiana Benthamiana Sh-Polypeptide-15 Hexapeptide-40
Skin ConditioningAlcohol
AntimicrobialBakuchiol
AntimicrobialBHT
AntioxidantBidens Pilosa Extract
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCholesterol
EmollientCopper Sulfate
Skin ConditioningDipotassium Phosphate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlucosamine Hcl
Glycerin
HumectantGlycolic Acid
BufferingGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningHydrochloric Acid
BufferingLactic Acid
BufferingLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingLycium Barbarum Fruit Extract
AstringentMandelic Acid
AntimicrobialNiacin
SmoothingNicotiana Benthamiana Sh-Polypedtide-7
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePhosphatidylcholine
EmulsifyingPhytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPotassium Phosphate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeRetinal
Skin ConditioningRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Chloride
MaskingSodium Cholate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingTocopherol
AntioxidantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantTriethanolamine
BufferingTromethamine
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZinc Chloride
AntimicrobialWater, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ceteth-20, Propanediol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Gluconolactone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Nicotiana Benthamiana Hexapeptide-40 Sh-Polypeptide-5, Nicotiana Benthamiana Sh-Polypeptide-15 Hexapeptide-40, Alcohol, Bakuchiol, BHT, Bidens Pilosa Extract, Carbomer, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide NP, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cholesterol, Copper Sulfate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Disodium EDTA, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glucosamine Hcl, Glycerin, Glycolic Acid, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Hydrochloric Acid, Lactic Acid, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Lycium Barbarum Fruit Extract, Mandelic Acid, Niacin, Nicotiana Benthamiana Sh-Polypedtide-7, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Phosphatidylcholine, Phytosphingosine, Polysorbate 20, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate, Retinal, Retinyl Palmitate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Cholate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethanolamine, Tromethamine, Xanthan Gum, Zinc Chloride
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer is a synthetically created polymer. It's used as a film-forming agent and used to thicken the consistency of products.
Think of it as a supportive ingredient that helps your gel-creams feel silky, "cloud cream-like", and spread evenly without being greasy.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:
Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.
Learn more about Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp CopolymerBHT 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 BHTC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe because it is an ester of benzoic acid.
Think of this ingredient as two parts stuck together: an oily part and an acid part. Malassezia only gets a meal when it can snip off a fatty acid to eat. With C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, the acid part is benzoic acid, which isn't a fatty acid and which the yeast can't use as food.
Benzoic acid is actually used as a preservative to stop yeast from growing.
The oily part is a blend of C12-15 fatty alcohols but fatty alcohols in this size range can support only a little Malassezia growth (mostly for one species of Malassezia as well).
In the ingredient, those alcohols stay locked inside the molecule. The yeast can only reach them by snipping the benzoate bond, and that type of bond is harder for it to cut than a normal fatty bond.
So not much gets released. And whatever does get snipped comes packaged with benzoic acid, which discourages yeast growth.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlyceryl 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 StearateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPhenoxyethanol 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.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Sodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopherol 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 TocopherolTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum