What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientEthylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
Zinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polyacrylamide
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Titanium Dioxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Alpha-Arbutin
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
PEG-100 Stearate
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBHT
Antioxidant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 16035
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Zinc Oxide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Polyacrylamide, Stearic Acid, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Alpha-Arbutin, Panthenol, PEG-100 Stearate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, BHT, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, CI 16035, CI 19140
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%
UV Absorber
Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid 1.5%
UV Absorber
Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%
UV Absorber
Octocrylene 1.3%
UV Absorber
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Stearate
CleansingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
BHT
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDisodium EDTA
Stearamide Amp
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane 2%, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid 1.5%, Ethylhexyl Salicylate 5%, Octocrylene 1.3%, Water, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Cetyl Alcohol, BHT, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Stearamide Amp
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
BHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTEthylhexyl Salicylate is an organic compound used to block UV rays. It primarily absorbs UVB rays but offers a small amount of UVA protection as well.
Commonly found in sunscreens, Ethylhexyl Salicylate is created from salicylic acid and 2-ethylhexanol. You might know salicylic acid as the effective acne fighter ingredient and BHA.
The ethylhexanol in this ingredient is a fatty alcohol and helps hydrate your skin, similar to oils. It is an emollient, which means it traps moisture into the skin.
According to manufacturers, Ethylhexyl Salicylate absorbs UV wavelength of 295-315 nm, with a peak absorption at 307-310 nm. UVA rays are linked to long term skin damage, such as hyperpigmentation. UVB rays emit more energy and are capable of damaging our DNA. UVB rays cause sunburn.
Learn more about Ethylhexyl SalicylateGlycerin (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 StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPeg-100 Stearate is an emollient and emulsifier. As an emollient, it helps keep skin soft by trapping moisture in. On the other hand, emulsifiers help prevent oil and water from separating in a product.
PEGS are a hydrophilic polyether compound . There are 100 ethylene oxide monomers in Peg-100 Stearate. Peg-100 Stearate is polyethylene glycol ester of stearic acid.
Phenoxyethanol 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.
Stearic 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 AcidTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
