What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctocrylene
UV AbsorberEthylhexyl Methoxycinnamate
UV AbsorberTitanium Dioxide
Cosmetic ColorantEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV AbsorberCeteareth-12
EmulsifyingPEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientParaffinum Liquidum
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPropylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
PreservativeDMDM Hydantoin
PreservativeWater, Octocrylene, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Ceteareth-12, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin
Water
Skin ConditioningDibutyl Adipate
EmollientPropanediol
SolventEthylhexyl Triazone
UV AbsorberTerephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid
UV AbsorberGlycerin
HumectantNiacinamide
SmoothingCaprylyl Methicone
Skin ConditioningPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Tromethamine
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-3 Distearate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantDiethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV FilterPolysilicone-15
UV FilterHouttuynia Cordata Extract
Skin ConditioningDiospyros Kaki Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingVitis Vinifera Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCoffea Arabica Seed Extract
MaskingPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
AntioxidantCamellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCastanea Crenata Shell Extract
Skin ConditioningZanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningAnastatica Hierochuntica Extract
AstringentPanthenol
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientBis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin ConditioningPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingMethylpropanediol
SolventCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Adenosine
Skin ConditioningPolyether-1
Biosaccharide Gum-1
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Dibutyl Adipate, Propanediol, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Caprylyl Methicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Tromethamine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Polysilicone-15, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Vitis Vinifera Fruit Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, Coffea Arabica Seed Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Anastatica Hierochuntica Extract, Panthenol, Glyceryl Stearate, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Methylpropanediol, Carbomer, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Adenosine, Polyether-1, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Tocopherol, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerGlycerin (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 StearateWater. 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