What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
PPG-3 Isostearyl Methyl Ether
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Zinc PCA
Humectant
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingEthyl Lactyl Retinoate
Abrasive
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Oligopeptide-10
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Decylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Vulgaris Extract
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract
Antioxidant
Boswellia Serrata Extract
Skin Conditioning
Zingiber Officinale Root Extract
Masking
Honey Extract
Humectant
Oryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingLecithin
Emollient
Sclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
Pullulan
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSilica
Abrasive
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Pentylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Sorbitan Stearate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, PPG-3 Isostearyl Methyl Ether, Glycerin, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Niacinamide, Zinc PCA, Steareth-2, Ethyl Lactyl Retinoate, Salicylic Acid, Oligopeptide-10, Sodium Hyaluronate, Decylene Glycol, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Bisabolol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Tasmannia Lanceolata Fruit/Leaf Extract, Boswellia Serrata Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Honey Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sclerotium Gum, Disodium EDTA, Pullulan, Ethylhexylglycerin, Silica, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCyclodextrin
AbsorbentCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Retinal
Skin Conditioning
Alumina
Abrasive
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Polyaspartate
HumectantPolyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningLonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract
Perfuming
Polyhydroxystearic Acid
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearic Acid
Cleansing
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
BHT
Antioxidant
Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract
Masking
Coumarin
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Isododecane, Cetearyl Olivate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Cyclodextrin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Hydroxyacetophenone, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Rubus Chamaemorus Seed Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Daucus Carota Sativa Seed Oil, Retinal, Alumina, Isostearic Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Polyaspartate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Lonicera Japonica Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearic Acid, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, BHT, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Dipteryx Odorata Bean Extract, Coumarin, CI 14700, CI 77891
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDisodium 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 EDTAEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinLecithin is a term for a group of substances found in the cell membranes of plants, animals, and humans. They are made up of phospholipids.
Thanks to its amphiphilic structure (water-loving head and oil-loving tail), it is a true multitasker:
It plays well with most ingredients and is typically used at 0.1-1%. However, concentrations up to 50% have been reported in moisturizers.
Depending on the source of this ingredient, lecithin may not be fungal acne safe. This is because some sources of lecithin come from soybean oil, which may feed the malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne.
We recommend reaching out to the brand you are purchasing from to inquire about the source of their lecithin.
Learn more about LecithinPentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol 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.
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 HyaluronateTocopheryl 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 Water
