What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlycerin
Humectant
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Myristica Fragrans Extract
MaskingPentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polydecene
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-40 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningBetula Platyphylla Japonica Juice
Skin Conditioning
Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningSalvia Officinalis Leaf Extract
CleansingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Cetearyl Olivate
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingPEG-100 Stearate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Trisodium EDTA
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningParfum
Masking
Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, 1,2-Hexanediol, Myristica Fragrans Extract, Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-40 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Phytosphingosine, Beta-Glucan, Sorbitan Stearate, Panthenol, Monarda Didyma Leaf Extract, Betula Platyphylla Japonica Juice, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Salvia Officinalis Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Cetearyl Olivate, Dimethicone, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Tromethamine, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Olivate, Trisodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Dimethicone
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
BufferingInonotus Obliquus Extract
Skin ConditioningAdenosine
Skin Conditioning
Capryloyl Glycine
CleansingMenthoxypropanediol
Masking
Methyldihydrojasmonate
MaskingPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
T-Butyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Niacinamide, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Betaine, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Squalane, Caprylyl Methicone, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Inonotus Obliquus Extract, Adenosine, Capryloyl Glycine, Menthoxypropanediol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Sodium Hydroxide, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Carbomer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Lactate, T-Butyl Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Stearyl Dimethicone, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 GlycerinTocopheryl 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
