What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Polyester-7
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Aminopropanediol
BufferingCeteareth-33
CleansingDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Oleyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Camelina Sativa Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xylitol
Humectant
Triethanolamine
BufferingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ceteth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
PEG-75 Stearate
Steareth-20
CleansingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Polyester-7, Glyceryl Stearate, Xylitylglucoside, Neopentyl Glycol Diheptanoate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Behenyl Alcohol, C10-18 Triglycerides, Aminopropanediol, Ceteareth-33, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Oleyl Alcohol, Phytosterols, Anhydroxylitol, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xylitol, Triethanolamine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ceteth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, PEG-75 Stearate, Steareth-20, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Squalane
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Caffeyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCI 10020
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantDipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Gallyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide
MaskingRosmarinyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Sodium Sulfate
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Citrate
BufferingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Behenyl Alcohol, Silica, Squalane, Arachidyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Caffeyl Glucoside, Carbomer, CI 10020, CI 42090, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Gallyl Glucoside, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Rosmarinyl Glucoside, Sodium Sulfate, Saccharide Isomerate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Hydroxide
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.
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 preservatives
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholDipotassium Glycyrrhizate comes from licorice root.
Extracts of licorice have demonstrated to have antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant properties.
One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.
Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.
Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.
Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.
Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.
Learn more about Dipotassium GlycyrrhizateGlycerin (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 StearateWater. 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
