What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingGlycolic Acid
Buffering
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Emulsifying Wax Nf
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester
Emulsifying
Betaine
Humectant
Imidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Acrylates Crosspolymer
AbsorbentPolyacrylamide
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Lanolin
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Xylitylglucoside
Humectant
Anhydroxylitol
Humectant
Xylitol
Humectant
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Zinc
Antioxidant
PCA
Humectant
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycolic Acid, Stearic Acid, Emulsifying Wax Nf, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, C12-20 Acid PEG-8 Ester, Betaine, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Acrylates Crosspolymer, Polyacrylamide, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Laureth-7, Polysorbate 20, Lanolin, Disodium EDTA, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Xylitylglucoside, Anhydroxylitol, Xylitol, Saccharide Isomerate, Zinc, PCA
Water
Skin ConditioningLactic Acid
Buffering
Ethyl Olivate
Emollient
Olive Oil Ethylhexyl Esters
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Salicylic Acid
Masking
Rh-Rice Extract
Skin ConditioningImidazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMilk Protein
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Water, Lactic Acid, Ethyl Olivate, Olive Oil Ethylhexyl Esters, Propylene Glycol, Paraffinum Liquidum, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Salicylic Acid, Rh-Rice Extract, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Xanthan Gum, Milk Protein, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl 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.
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 StearateImidazolidinyl Urea is a synthetic antimicrobial preservative. It works by slowly releasing small amounts of formaldehyde to keep bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Just so you know, the formaldehyde released at typical use concentrations (up to 0.6% in the EU and typically 0.1-0.3% in the US) are tiny. The CIR Expert Panel has reaffirmed its safety as a cosmetic ingredient at current use concentrations in 2023. It's also not mutagenic in cell studies.
However, it is a known contact sensitizer with about a 1-2% contact allergy rate.
Other formaldehyde releasers include Diazolidinyl Urea or DMDM Hydantoin.
Learn more about Imidazolidinyl UreaPeg-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.
Propylene 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 GlycolSalicylic Acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) is a well-known ingredient for treating skin that struggles with acne and clogged pores. It exfoliates both the skin's surface and deep within the pores to help clear out buildup, control oil, and reduce inflammation.
Unlike AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble. This allows it to penetrate into pores which makes it especially effective for treating blackheads and preventing future breakouts.
Salicylic acid is also known for its soothing properties. It has a similar structure to aspirin and can calm inflamed or irritated skin, making it a good option for acne-prone skin that is also sensitive.
Concentrations of 0.5-2% are recognized by the U.S. FDA as an over-the-counter topical acne product.
It can cause irritation and/or dryness if one's skin already has a compromised moisture barrier, so it's best to focus on repairing that before introducing this ingredient into your routine.
While salicylic acid does not increase sun sensitivity, itβs still important to wear sunscreen daily to protect your skin.
If you are looking for the ingredient called BHA or Butylated Hydroxyanisole, click here.
Learn more about Salicylic AcidWater. 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
