What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningIsopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Cetyl Esters
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingRubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Emollient
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Esters, Myristyl Myristate, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil, Parfum, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Hydroxycitronellal, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, CI 14700, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Benzethonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Ormenis Multicaulis Oil
Masking
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Pentylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Tapioca Starch, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Sodium PCA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Allantoin, Bisabolol, Sodium Hydroxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Benzethonium Chloride, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Benzyl Alcohol is an aromatic alcohol with several roles: it's a preservative, solvent, and mild fragrance component with a floral scent.
This ingredient has been deemed safe for use in cosmetic formulations at concentrations up to 5%, and up to 10% in hair dyes. You'll typically see 0.5-2% in most rinse-off or leave-on products.
As a preservative, it works by disrupting the membrane of microbial proteins. This helps keep bacteria and fungi from growing in your products.
The sensitization picture is actually quite assuring as well:of nearly 71,000 patients patch tested with benzyl alcohol, only 0.21% showed a positive reaction with most of them being weakly positive.
This led researchers to conclude that benzyl alcohol cannot be regarded as a significant contact allergen.
It is worth noting this ingredient is classified as one of the EU's regulated fragrance allergens and restricted to 1% in finished products.
Labels must also declare it in concentrations above 0.001% in leave-on products and 0.01% in rinse-off products.
At concentrations around 5%, localized redness and itching can appear as a direct irritant response and not as a true allergic reaction.
Learn more about Benzyl AlcoholCarbomer is a high-molecular weight polymer of acrylic acid. It is used to form gels and thicken formulas.
Due to its large molecular size, carbomer has minimal skin penetration and is considered an inert ingredient.
A high amount of carbomer can cause pilling or balling up of products. Don't worry, most products contain 1% or less of carbomer.
Learn more about CarbomerCetyl 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
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 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 StearatePeg-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.
Sodium 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 HydroxideTocopheryl 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
