What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Methylpropanediol
SolventGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Phosphate Buffered Saline
SolventPropylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate
Emulsifying
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
CI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Stearyl Heptanoate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantButyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningStearyl Caprylate
EmollientAcrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCellulose
Absorbent
Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingO-Cymen-5-Ol
Antimicrobial
PEG-8
HumectantHydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides
EmollientHamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Tin Oxide
Abrasive
CI 77492
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningPolyquaternium-51
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-2
HumectantPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides
Emollient
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
CI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantAlteromonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Glutathione
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningThioctic Acid
Antioxidant
Acetyl Cysteine
Antioxidant
Lysine Hcl
Skin Conditioning
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningLeucine
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Arginine
Masking
Glycine
Buffering
Zinc Acetate
AntimicrobialProline
Skin Conditioning
Copper Sulfate
Skin Conditioning
Water, Squalane, Saccharomyces Ferment, Methylpropanediol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Propanediol, Phosphate Buffered Saline, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, CI 77891, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Stearyl Heptanoate, Stearyl Alcohol, Mica, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Unsaponifiables, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Stearyl Caprylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Cellulose, Aesculus Hippocastanum Seed Extract, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hydroxide, O-Cymen-5-Ol, PEG-8, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Glycerides, Hamamelis Virginiana Leaf Extract, Tin Oxide, CI 77492, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Disodium Acetyl Glucosamine Phosphate, Polyquaternium-51, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer-2, Polysorbate 60, Sorbitan Isostearate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides, Potassium Sorbate, CI 77491, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Phenethyl Alcohol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Glutathione, Pyridoxine Hcl, Thioctic Acid, Acetyl Cysteine, Lysine Hcl, Valine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Threonine, Arginine, Glycine, Zinc Acetate, Proline, Copper Sulfate
Water
Skin ConditioningIsocetyl Stearate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Isohexadecane
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingRetinol
Skin Conditioning
Retinyl Linoleate
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Polysilicone-8
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Isocetyl Stearate, Glycerin, Octyldodecanol, Propylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caffeine, Isohexadecane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hydroxide, Retinol, Retinyl Linoleate, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Citric Acid, Polysilicone-8, Polysorbate 80, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinPropylene Glycol is a synthetic, colorless, odorless liquid that has been a staple in cosmetics for decades. It is a skin conditioning agent, humectant, and solvent.
As a humectant, it draw water to the skin to reduce flaking and restore suppleness. It's also a solvent that helps dissolve other actives and keeps formulas stable across temperature changes.
The CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be nontoxic and clinical studies show no sensitization at cosmetic use concentrations.
True allergic reactions are quite rare: a 15-year retrospective study of 6,751 patients found only 0.31% had a positive reaction (and less than half were considered clinically relevant).
It seemed that when sensitization does occur, it's most commonly linked to topical medication (like corticosteroids) and not cosmetics. Allergic contact dermatitis also appears largely limited to individuals with underlying skin conditions.
Overall, propylene glycol is a well-studied ingredient that most people can tolerate without issue.
Learn more about Propylene GlycolSodium 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 HyaluronateSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideWater. 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
