What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Tetradecenyl/Methylpentadecene
SolventPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingParfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Disodium EDTA
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone
Perfuming
CI 14700
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glycerin, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Dimethicone, PPG-2 Myristyl Ether Propionate, Stearyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Myristyl Myristate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Panthenol, Hydrogenated Tetradecenyl/Methylpentadecene, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Carbomer, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Benzyl Alcohol, Hydroxycitronellal, Geraniol, Linalool, Limonene, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, CI 14700, CI 19140
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Zea Mays Germ Oil
Emollient
Elaeis Guineensis Oil
Emollient
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingMyristyl Myristate
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cyclodextrin
AbsorbentPisum Sativum Extract
Skin ConditioningResveratrol
Antioxidant
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Carnosine
Skin Conditioning
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Ascorbyl Glucoside
Antioxidant
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientMyristic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polysorbate 80
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Oleate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Tristearate
EmulsifyingStearic Acid
Cleansing
Polysilicone-11
CI 15985
Cosmetic ColorantPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Water, Dimethicone, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Zea Mays Germ Oil, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Alcohol Denat., Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Myristyl Myristate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cyclodextrin, Pisum Sativum Extract, Resveratrol, Adenosine, Carnosine, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Cetyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Isohexadecane, Myristic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Polysorbate 80, Sorbitan Oleate, Sorbitan Tristearate, Stearic Acid, Polysilicone-11, CI 15985, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlycerin (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 StearateMyristyl Myristate is created from the fatty acids of myristyl alcohol and myristic acid. In skincare, it is an emollient and texture enhancer.
On its own, this ingredient has a comedogenicity index of 5/5. This means it has the potential to clog pores. When diluted with cetyl alcohol or propylene glycol, the comedogenicity will decrease.
This ingredient may not be Malassezia folliculitis, or fungal-acne safe.
Nutmeg, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil all contain this ingredient naturally.
Learn more about Myristyl MyristateParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumPeg-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 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
