What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialGlycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil
Masking
Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCapryl/Capramidopropyl Betaine
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Polyquaternium-39
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Trideceth-6
EmulsifyingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Limonene, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Capryl/Capramidopropyl Betaine, Caprylyl Glycol, Polysorbate 20, Allantoin, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Disodium EDTA, Polyquaternium-39, Sodium Chloride, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Trideceth-6, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Tridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract
AstringentCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Extract
Antimicrobial
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Vitis Vinifera Seed Extract, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate is a lightweight emollient made by combinig benzoic acid with fatty alcohols that are 12-15 carbons long.
In cosmetics, it plays several roles:
The Cosmetic Review Expert Panel has concluded the alkyl benzoate group to be safe as used in cosmetics; it wasn't found to be a skin irritant and unlikely to be absorbed due to its low water solubility.
This report recorded almost 1000 reported uses with concentrations up to 59% in leave-on products but your cosmetics will typically use 0.5-15% depending on the product.
It's often called a "SPF booster": this is because it keeps UV filters properly dissolved and evenly distributed to support a sunscreen's performance. It doesn't actually raise SPF on its own.
Overall, this ingredient is well tolerated.
This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
The Malassezia yeast feeds on free fatty acids and this ingredient is made up of an aromatic acid and fatty alcohols.
When this ingredient breaks down, it yields benzoic acid (which is antifungal) and fatty alcohols. Neither of these have been found in studies to be a known food source for Malassezia.
Learn more about C12-15 Alkyl BenzoateCetyl 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 EDTAGlycerin (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 StearateMethyl Gluceth-20 is a humectant. Humectants help draw moisture from the air to your skin.
It is created by combining polyethylene glycol with glucose.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
