What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
C15-19 Alkane
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientPEG-100 Stearate
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSqualane
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSalicylic Acid
Masking
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Propanediol, Isopropyl Myristate, Azelaic Acid, C15-19 Alkane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Isohexadecane, PEG-100 Stearate, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Phenoxyethanol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Squalane, Ceteareth-20, Polysorbate 60, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Salicylic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Azelaic Acid
Buffering
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Hydroxide
BufferingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingBisabolol
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycerin
Humectant
O-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Azelaic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Bisabolol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycerin, O-Cymen-5-Ol, Disodium EDTA, Beta-Glucan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyacetophenone
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Azelaic acid is a multitasker ingredient that helps treat acne, pigmentation, and irritation. It is a great option for sensitive skin.
What makes it special?
OTC Azelaic acid is usually available in concentrations from 10-15% and anything over requires a prescription.
Here's what each tier does best:
Unlike other acids, azelaic acid will not make your skin more photosensitive/sun sensitive.
Though this ingredient is naturally occurring in grains like wheat, rye, and barley, it is usually synthetically created for cosmetics to ensure stability and effectiveness.
Learn more about Azelaic AcidDisodium 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 EthylhexylglycerinGlyceryl 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 StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
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.
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 60Water. 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
