What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Tilia Cordata Flower Water
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water
MaskingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTilia Cordata Extract
RefreshingLilium Candidum Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPolyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Skin Conditioning
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCeteareth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Isopropyl Palmitate, Tilia Cordata Flower Water, Citrus Aurantium Amara Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Malva Sylvestris Flower Extract, Tilia Cordata Extract, Lilium Candidum Flower Extract, Lauryl Glucoside, Polyglyceryl-2 Dipolyhydroxystearate, C14-22 Alcohols, Carbomer, Ceteareth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingGlucose
Humectant
Coco-Glucoside
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Root Extract
Skin ConditioningUndaria Pinnatifida Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Japonica Extract
Skin Protecting
Glycine Max Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Meal Extract
SoothingCitric Acid
Buffering
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Glucose, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Stearate, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Root Extract, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Laminaria Japonica Extract, Glycine Max Seed Extract, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Avena Sativa Meal Extract, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Polyacrylate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilWater. 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
