What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantCetyl Palmitate
EmollientStearic Acid
CleansingButylene Glycol
HumectantPalmitic Acid
EmollientTocopherol
AntioxidantDimethicone
EmollientPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Glyceryl Stearate
EmollientSorbitol
HumectantCI 77163
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePEG-100 Stearate
SurfactantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantHamamelis Virginiana Water
AstringentPEG-75 Stearate
SurfactantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexyl Hydroxystearate
EmollientAllantoin
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCeteth-20
CleansingTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPropylene Glycol
HumectantSteareth-20
CleansingDisodium EDTA
Myristic Acid
CleansingBetaine
HumectantChlorella Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingGlucose
HumectantChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
MaskingZingiber Officinale Root Extract
MaskingSanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract
CleansingCinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract
MaskingThymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract
MaskingRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingZinc Sulfate
AntimicrobialLaminaria Ochroleuca Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
BleachingUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentBetula Alba Leaf Extract
AstringentCitric Acid
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCinnamal
PerfumingPyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningWater, Glycerin, Cetyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Tocopherol, Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitol, CI 77163, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-100 Stearate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hamamelis Virginiana Water, PEG-75 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Carbomer, Ethylhexyl Hydroxystearate, Allantoin, Panthenol, Ceteth-20, Triethanolamine, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol, Steareth-20, Disodium EDTA, Myristic Acid, Betaine, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Glucose, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Cinnamomum Cassia Bark Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Flower/Leaf Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Zinc Sulfate, Laminaria Ochroleuca Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Betula Alba Leaf Extract, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Cinnamal, Pyridoxine Hcl
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPetrolatum
EmollientDistearyldimonium Chloride
Isopropyl Palmitate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningColloidal Oatmeal
AbsorbentOphiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantRetinyl Palmitate
Skin ConditioningAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantBeta-Glucan
Skin ConditioningTetrapeptide-21
Skin ConditioningMyristoyl Pentapeptide-11
Skin ConditioningPolymethyl Methacrylate
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
HumectantMaltodextrin
AbsorbentBenzalkonium Chloride
AntimicrobialButylene Glycol
HumectantSodium Chloride
MaskingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingWater, Glycerin, Petrolatum, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Colloidal Oatmeal, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Tetrapeptide-21, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-11, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Maltodextrin, Benzalkonium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol
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 GlycolCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinRetinyl palmitate is a form of retinoid. Retinoids are the superstar class of anti-aging ingredients that include tretinoin and retinol.
This particular ingredient has had a bumpy year with its rise and fall in popularity.
First, Retinyl palmitate is created from palmitic acid and retinol. It is a retinol ester and considered one of the weaker forms of retinoid.
This is because all retinoids have to be converted to Tretinoin, AKA retinoic acid. Retinyl Palmitate is pretty far down the line and has to go through multiple conversions before its effects are seen.
Due to this long and ineffective conversion line, the benefits of Retinyl Palmitate are debated.
Studies show Retinyl Palmitate to help:
Dermatologists say this ingredient is ineffective because it isn't used in high enough concentrations in cosmetics.
This ingredient used to be found in sunscreens to boost the efficacy of sunscreen filters.
The downfall of Retinyl Palmitate was due to released reports about the ingredient being correlated to sun damage and skin tumors.
While there is a study showing this ingredient to cause DNA damage when exposed to UV-A, there is no concrete proof of it being linked to skin cancer. It is safe to use when used correctly.
All retinoids increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun in the first few months of usage. Be especially careful with reapplying sunscreen when using any form of retinoid.
Currently, this ingredient is still allowed in cosmetics all over the world. In Canada, cosmetics must have a warning label stating the product to contain Retinyl Palmitate
Fun fact: This ingredient is often added to low-fat milk to increase the levels of Vitamin A.
Learn more about Retinyl PalmitateWater. 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