What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Arginine
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Sorbitol
Humectant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Sedum Sarmentosum Extract
HumectantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Lecithin
Emollient
Cholesterol
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Water, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Olivate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Glycerin, Arginine, Carbomer, Tocopherol, Sorbitol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sedum Sarmentosum Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Lecithin, Cholesterol, Ceramide NP, Oleic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Glycoproteins
Skin Conditioning
Linoleic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Ceteareth-20
CleansingSerum Albumin
HumectantStearic Acid
Cleansing
Fibronectin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Lactate
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Ā
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesĀ
Cetearyl 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 AlcoholGlyceryl 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 StearateHyaluronic acid (HA) is a glycosaminoglycan (basically a long sugar chain) that your skin already makes on its own. In your skin, HA lives in the extracellular matrix and acts as the body's moisture reservoir.
Topically, HA is a humectant that binds water and helps skin look more plump, smooth, and hydrated.
The only catch is that HA isn't a single thing; it actually comes in a wide range of molecular weights (~50 - 2,000+ kDA) and size matters.
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
This is why the best HA serums blend the two sizes together so you get the best of both worlds.
The majority of cosmetic HA is produced by bacterial fermentation, typically using Streptococcus or Bacillus strains. Typical use levels in skincare sit around 0.1-2%.
A clinical study using a 0.2% low-molecular weight HA gel showed improvement in facial seborrheic dermatitis with excellent tolerance.
These are some other common types of Hyaluronic Acid:
Learn more about Hyaluronic AcidOleic Acid is an Omega-9 fatty acid that can be found naturally in your skin's sebum and in many plant oils such as avocado and olive oil.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and prevent moisture loss.
Research shows:
A 1998 study did find that applying oleic acid at higher concentrations may cause irritation and disrupt the skin barrier. Modern formulations typically use low levels that is well-tolerated.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Oleic Acid, at C18, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Oleic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
Learn more about Oleic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources. In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.
Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skinās lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.
Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.
You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.
There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.
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
