What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate
EmollientCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Trehalose
Humectant
C14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPolyacrylate-13
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingParfum
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientJuglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Polyisobutene
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Morus Alba Root Extract
BleachingDisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney
Humectant
Linalool
Perfuming
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningSorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Emollient
Punica Granatum Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Propanediol
Solvent
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Glucose
Humectant
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Punica Granatum Flower Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Di-C12-13 Alkyl Malate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Trehalose, C14-22 Alcohols, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Castor Oil Isostearate, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, Polyacrylate-13, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, C12-16 Alcohols, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Parfum, Xanthan Gum, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Glyceryl Caprylate, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Limonene, Polyisobutene, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Morus Alba Root Extract, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Honey, Linalool, Polysorbate 20, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Citronellol, Citral, Geraniol, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Glucose, Benzyl Benzoate, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Tocopherol, Punica Granatum Flower Extract
Glycerin
Humectant
Water
Skin ConditioningTriethylhexanoin
MaskingC14-22 Alcohols
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside
Emulsifying1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Avium Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil
Emollient
Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningZingiber Officinale Root Oil
Masking
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glucose
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Dextrin
AbsorbentMagnesium Sulfate
Glycerin, Water, Triethylhexanoin, C14-22 Alcohols, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Pentylene Glycol, C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside, 1,2-Hexanediol, Prunus Avium Fruit Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Adenosine, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Dextrin, Magnesium Sulfate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Â
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesÂ
Arachidic Acid (also known as Eicosanoic acid) is a fatty acid naturally found in peanut oil, corn oil, or cocoa butter. In cosmetics, it is an emollient, emulsifier, and cleansing ingredient.
Like other fatty acids, it functions as an emollient that helps hydrate and smooth the skin.
As an emulsifier and cleansing agent, it helps stabilize oil-in-water formulations. This also allows oils and other impurities to be easily rinsed away.
Arachidic acid is a natural component of human sebum and research has found that patients with papulopustular rosacea show reduced levels of these fatty acids compared to healthy control groups.
This ingredient may not be safe for fungal acne because it falls within the carbon chain that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Arachidic AcidButylene 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 GlycolWe don't have a description for C12-20 Alkyl Glucoside yet.
C14-22 Alcohols is made up of synthetic fatty alcohols. More specifically, these fatty alcohols contain 14 to 22 carbons in the alkyl chain.
Its main purpose is to stabilize products. As an emulsifier, it helps prevent waters and oils from separating.
Due to this ingredient having a similar composition to cetearyl alcohol, this ingredient may not be malassezia folliculitis safe. However, the risk is low and has been only shown by a single study, so SkinSort does not currently flag C14-22 Alcohols as a fungal acne trigger.
Learn more about C14-22 AlcoholsCetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient ester. It comes from cetearyl alcohol and 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is an emollient that adds a velvety feel to skin without being greasy or oily. Emollients help trap moisture into your skin, keeping your skin soft and hydrated.
Dextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinEthylhexylglycerin 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlucose is a simple sugar (a monosaccharide). In skincare, it is mostly a humectant and skin conditioning agent.
Mechanistically, it has multiple hydroxyl groups that hydrogen-bond to water. This pulls moisture into the upper layers of skin to keep the surface soft and hydrated.
It's worth knowing sugars are already a natural component of the skin's NMF (natural moisturizing factor) so it's a molecule that your stratum corneum is well-acquainted with.
Just so you know, glucose is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the stratum corneum is a strong barrier to hydrophilic compounds. This just means penetration is slow and most of the action is happening on the surface.
Gram-to-gram, glucose is not as efficient as a humectant as glycerin. This is why you'll likely see glycose paired with stronger humectants for a bigger hydration payoff.
In skincare, glucose is typically derived from corn or other starch sources.
Learn more about GlucoseGlycerin (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 GlycerinMyristic Acid is a saturated fatty acid. It is naturally found in milk fat. Other sources include palm oil, coconut oil, and butter fat.
Myristic Acid is an emulsifer and cleanser. As an emulsifer, it stabilizes a product by preventing ingredients from separating. Myristic Acid helps clean your skin by acting as a surfactant. It tends to gather oil and dirt on your skin to be easily rinsed away.
One study from 2021 found Myristic Acid to have anti-inflammatory properties.
Learn more about Myristic AcidPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
