What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsononyl Isononanoate
EmollientDimethyl Sulfone
SolventPropanediol
SolventC15-19 Alkane
SolventGlycerin
HumectantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
HumectantPolymethylsilsesquioxane
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Pentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
HumectantHydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantSorbitol
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientArachidyl Alcohol
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Cetearyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientGlycol Palmitate
EmulsifyingAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientArachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Sodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dimethyl Sulfone, Propanediol, C15-19 Alkane, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Divinyldimethicone/Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitol, Caprylyl Glycol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Cetearyl Glucoside, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Glycol Palmitate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningGossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
PerfumingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeLactobionic Acid
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Cetearyl Sulfate
CleansingSodium Lauryl Sulfate
CleansingGlycyrrhetinic Acid
Skin ConditioningTriethanolamine
BufferingBisabolol
AntioxidantLecithin
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPEG-8
HumectantTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantAscorbyl Palmitate
AntioxidantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingAscorbic Acid
AntioxidantCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Lactobionic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Triethanolamine, Bisabolol, Lecithin, Ethylhexylglycerin, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ascorbyl Palmitate is a fat-soluble form of vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) made by combining it with palmitic acid.
It is able to blend easily into creams and oil-based formulas because it dissolves in oils rather than water.
As you may know, regular vitamin C is notorious for breaking down when exposed to sunlight and air. Ascorbyl Palmitate is more stable and degrades at a slower rate.
Research on whether it converts efficiently into active vitamin C once it's applied on your skin is still limited. Some in-vitro studies suggest it may support collagen production, but it is not considered one of the stronger vitamin C derivatives, like:
Due to the palmitic acid base, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. Comedogenic studies have also shown this ingredient to have a rating of 2.
It's also worth keeping in mind that comedogenic and irritancy ratings are tested on individual ingredients, not finished formulas. The final product's formulation, concentration, and other ingredients all play a role in how something actually behaves on your skin.
Learn more about Ascorbyl PalmitateCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 GlycerinSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateWater. 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