What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide As
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate
Skin ConditioningPCA
Humectant
Cholesterol
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
Buffering1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tropolone
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Cetearyl Glucoside, Ceramide NP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide As, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Saccharide Isomerate, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, PCA, Cholesterol, Arginine, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tropolone, Carbomer, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Stearate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
C9-12 Alkane
SolventPEG-8
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cera Alba
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diethylhexyl Succinate
EmollientNylon-12
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Lactitol
HumectantXylitol
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingHydrated Silica
Abrasive
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientDisodium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Phosphate
BufferingWater, Glycerin, C9-12 Alkane, PEG-8, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cera Alba, Cetyl Alcohol, Diethylhexyl Succinate, Nylon-12, Caprylyl Glycol, Lactitol, Xylitol, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrated Silica, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Disodium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl 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 GlycerinPalmitic 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
