What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningMethyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane
C13-16 Isoparaffin
Solvent
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingPolyethylene
Abrasive
Paraffin
Perfuming
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPPG-8-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingWater
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Silicone Resin
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Methyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane, C13-16 Isoparaffin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Triethylhexanoin, Polyethylene, Paraffin, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Microcrystalline Wax, PPG-8-Ceteth-20, Water, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Silicone Resin, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate
Skin ConditioningMenthol
Masking
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Methyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane
Glyceryl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPolyethylene
Abrasive
Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene
Skin Conditioning
Paraffin
Perfuming
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
Microcrystalline Wax
Emulsion StabilisingPEG/PPG-36/41 Dimethyl Ether
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningPEG-8 Dimethicone
Emulsifying
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantSilicon
Abrasive
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate, Menthol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Methyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Ethylhexanoate, Polyethylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Paraffin, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Microcrystalline Wax, PEG/PPG-36/41 Dimethyl Ether, Water, PEG-8 Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Mica, Silicon, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Dipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.
As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.
Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.
Learn more about Dipropylene GlycolGlycerin (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 GlycerinMethyl/Phenyl Polysilsesquioxane is a type of silicone.
Microcrystalline Wax is derived from petroleum through a de-oiling process, then highly refined and purified before use in cosmetics.
In skincare formulations, it is used to improve texture and create a smooth, even consistency. It also helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating.
Paraffin is a solid created from petroleum. The term 'paraffin' can also refer to either
petroleum jelly or mineral oil.
It has natural occlusive properties which can worsen oily skin. Due to its petrolatum base, this ingredient is not fungal-acne safe.
Paraffinum 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-8 Dimethicone is a water-soluble silicone. It reduces tackiness, boosts moisture, and enhances the spreadability of products.
Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate is an emollient that helps make your skin smooth and hydrated. It specializes in creating a non-oily and "wet" feeling on skin.
This ingredient comes from isostearic acid, a saturated fatty acid. It is a synthetic ingredient.
Polyethylene is a synthetic ingredient that helps the skin retain moisture. It is a polymer.
It is also typically used within product formulations to help bind solid ingredients together and thicken oil-based ingredients. When added to balms and emulsions, it helps increase the melting point temperature.
Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWe don't have a description for Sodium Magnesium Silicate yet.
We don't have a description for Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate yet.
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
