Updated on November 16, 2023
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe general moisturizers. They have a total of 9 ingredients in common
Cool Features
They both contain Vitamin E
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin and scar healing
Free From
They both do not contain any oils, parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain common allergens, fragrances and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Sulwhasoo Essential Comfort Firming Cream 52 ingredients
Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream 51 ingredients
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Sulwhasoo Essential Comfort Firming Cream 52 ingredients
Shiseido Essential Energy Hydrating Cream 51 ingredients
Notable Ingredients
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Concerns
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Ingredients Side-by-side
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.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
We don't have a description for Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate.
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is an emollient, solvent, and texture enhancer. It is considered a skin-softener by helping the skin prevent moisture loss.
Cyclopentasiloxane is a silicone used to improve texture and trap moisture. An easier name for this is D5.
Diisostearyl Malate is an emollient and most often used in lip products. It comes from isostearyl alcohol, a fatty acid, and malic acid, an AHA.
1,2-Hexanediol is a multi-tasker ingredient. It acts as a preservative to increase shelf-life and can aid other preservatives in preventing microbe growth. 1,2-Hexanediol also helps the skin retain moisture as a humectant.
Glyceryl Stearate is a mix of glycerin and stearic acid.
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is created from the diester of stearic acid and the condensation product of methylglucose and Polyglycerin-3.
Cyclohexasiloxane is a type of silicone more commonly known as D6. It is an emollient and solvent.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. 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.
3 Concerns
Cetearyl alcohol is a mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is mainly used as an emulsifier. Emulsifiers help prevent the separation of oils and products. Due to its composition, it can also be used to thicken a product or help create foam.
This is a synthetic polymer. It helps improve the texture of products by adding thickness and gel-like feel.
Polyacrylate-13 is a type of acrylate polymer. Acrylate polymers are commonly used as adhesives in cosmetics.
Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a silicone used as a film forming agent.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Glyceryl Caprylate comes from glycerin and caprylic acid, a fatty acid from coconut.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract comes from a type of goji berry plant.
Sorbitan Isostearate is an emulsifer and cleaning agent. It is created from isostearic acid and sorbitol.
Propanediol helps absorb ingredients into your skin, boosting their benefits. It can act as an emollient, making your skin softer. Propanediol can help products last longer by boosting the properties of preservatives within the formulation.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
Adenosine is in every living organism. It is one of four components in nucleic acids that helps store our DNA.
Polysorbate 20 is made by combining ethoxylation of sorbitan, ethylene oxide, and lauric acid. It is a mild cleansing agent, surfactant, and emulsifier.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract comes from the Asian Mountain Yam. It contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
2 Concerns
Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
We don't have a description for Pueraria Thunbergiana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract.
EU Allergen
Citronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Dextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
EU Allergen
Citral is a fragrance and used to add a lemon-like scent to products. It is both naturally found in plants and created synthetically. In plants, it is commonly occurring in lemon myrtle, lemongrass, lemon tea-tree, lemon verbena, and other citruses.
EU Allergen
Geraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract comes from Chinese licorice. This plant is native to Asia and used in Chinese traditional medicine. Chinese licorice root contains antioxidants and polysaccharides.
EU Allergen
Benzyl Benzoate is usually created from the condensation of benzoic acid and benzyl alcohol. It is used as a preservative, solvent, and has a floral/balsamic scent in large amounts.
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract comes from the Lotus Flower, Nelumbiumspeciosum.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits May cause irritation
Tocopherol (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.
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Diisostearyl Malate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Peg-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyacrylate-13, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polyisobutene, Parfum, Honey, Ziziphus Jujuba Leaf Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Limonene, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Polysorbate 20, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Polysorbate 60, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Crataegus Pinnatifida Fruit Extract, Linalool, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Pueraria Thunbergiana Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Citronellol, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Citral, Geraniol, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Polygonatum Odoratum Rhizome Extract, Benzyl Benzoate, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Hydrolyzed Soybean Extract, Tocopherol
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.
Dimethicone is a silicone used for making products smooth and silky. It also has the added benefit of sealing in hydration. The amount of dimethicone found in beauty products is considered safe and non-comedogenic, meaning it won't clog pores.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
5 Concerns
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
Betaine is a common humectant (a substance that promotes retention of moisture). It's known to be gentle on the skin and can help balance hydration.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
Isohexadecane is added to enhance texture, emulsify, and to help cleanse. It is an isoparrafin. It is a component of petrolatum.
Hydrogenated Polydecene is an emollient. It creates a non-occlusive film on the skin that offers extra protection for your skin barrier.
2 Concerns
Silica is a mineral naturally found in our skin. It helps to thicken and smooth the texture of a product. It also acts as an agent for other ingredients by increasing the absorption of other ingredients into the skin.
A type of fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as traditional alcohols.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients.
Myristyl Myristate is created from the fatty acids of myristyl alcohol and myristic acid. In skincare, it is an emollient and texture enhancer.
Glyceryl Stearate Se is a self-emulsifying (SE) form of glyceryl stearate. Self-emusifying means this ingredient automatically blends with water. It is an emulsifier, emollient, and cleansing agent.
Polysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Peg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. 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.
Ci 77891 is a white pigment from Titanium dioxide. It is naturally found in minerals such as rutile and ilmenite.
You might know this ingredient as a sugar substitute in foods. It is a sugar alcohol with humectant properties.
2 Concerns
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
5 Concerns
Alcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is usually an astringent alcohol.
4 Benefits
2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a form of Vitamin C. It can help to reduce redness, improve skin texture, reduce the effects of aging, and reduce the visibility of dark spots.
Carbomer is a polymer of acrylic acid. Its main role is to create gel consistency within products.
Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
Caffeine is most associated with coffee, tea, and cacao. In skincare, it helps with calming inflammation and anti-aging.
Potassium hydroxide is commonly known as caustic potash. It is used to fix the pH of a product or as a cleaning agent in soap. In cleansers, it is used for the saponification of oils.
Isostearic acid is a saturated fatty acid. Its structure makes it a great surfactant.
Aluminum Hydroxide is a form of aluminum. It can be naturally found in nature as the mineral gibbsite. In cosmetics, Aluminum Hydroxide is used as a colorant, pH adjuster, and absorbent.
2 Concerns
Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Antioxidant 4 Benefits May cause irritation
Tocopherol (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.
Preservative
Sodium Metabisulfite is an antioxidant and is a preservative.
Limonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
Sodium Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid's salt form. It is commonly derived from the sodium salt of hyaluronic acid.
Panax Ginseng Root is a popular herb from Asia. This root contains antioxidants, favonoids, and vitamins B12 and D.
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract comes from the Baikal skullcap or Chinese skullcap plant. This plant is native to Northeast Asia and can be found in China, Mongolia, Korea, and Siberia.
Ci 77491 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It's sole purpose is to give a red/pink hue to products.
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract comes from rosemary. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean.
Water, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Betaine, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Ppg-3 Dipivalate, Silica, Behenyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Polysorbate 60, Peg-100 Stearate, Peg-9, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethylacrylamide, CI 77891, Sorbitan Tristearate, Erythritol, Parfum, Alcohol, Aminopropyl Dimethicone, 2-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Carbomer, Trisodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Caffeine, Potassium Hydroxide, Isostearic Acid, Sodium Metaphosphate, Phytosteryl Oleate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Linalool, Tocopherol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Limonene, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Angelica Keiskei Leaf/Stem Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Seed Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, CI 77491, Alpinia Speciosa Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Sanguisorba Officinalis Root Extract, Pyrola Incarnata Extract
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
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. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient. It is unlikely to irritate skin, and works well with pretty much all other ingredients.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. 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.
Peg-100 Stearate helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. It helps prevent oil and water from separating in a product. By binding oil and water, it helps remove dirt and oil to be rinsed away.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
In the US, the alternative name for parfum is 'fragrance'.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
The term 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term. For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance.
Learn more about LimonenePolysorbate 60 is used to help stabilize products. It is a surfactant and emulsifier. These properties help keep ingredients together in a product. Surfactants help reduce surface tension between ingredients with different states, such as liquids and solids. Emulsifiers help prevent oils and waters from separating.
Polysorbate 60 is sorbitol-based and created from the ethoxylation of sorbitan. Ethoxylation is a chemical reaction used to add ethylene oxide. Sorbitan is a the dehydrated version of sorbitol, a sugar found in fruits.
In this case, the 60 comes from reacting 60 units of ethylene oxide with sorbitan.
Polysorbates are commonly used in medicine and foods.
Learn more about Polysorbate 60Linalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Linalool has the same effect as Limonene when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
Linalool has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolTocopherol (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 skin’s 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 TocopherolIngredient Ratings
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