What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Olivate
Inulin
Skin Conditioning
Creatine
Skin ConditioningNiacinamide
Smoothing
Squalane
Emollient
Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Maltodextrin
Absorbent
Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCeramide Ng
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract
Masking
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Citric Acid
Buffering
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Skin Conditioning
Water, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Cetearyl Olivate, Inulin, Creatine, Niacinamide, Squalane, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Maltodextrin, Alpha-Glucan Oligosaccharide, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide Ng, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Phytate, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Lithothamnion Calcareum Powder
Abrasive
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Betaine
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate
EmollientLaminaria Saccharina Extract
Skin ProtectingNelumbo Nucifera Extract
Skin ConditioningCocos Nucifera Shell Powder
Abrasive
Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Powder
Skin ConditioningCitrus Limon Peel Oil
Masking
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingCetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSclerotium Gum
Emulsion StabilisingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingButylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Sodium Polyglutamate
HumectantCaramel
Cosmetic ColorantSodium Phytate
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingChlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pentylene Glycol, Lithothamnion Calcareum Powder, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Neopentyl Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Laminaria Saccharina Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Cocos Nucifera Shell Powder, Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Powder, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Hibiscus Esculentus Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Cetearyl Glucoside, Behenyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sclerotium Gum, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Sodium Polyglutamate, Caramel, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Limonene, Citral
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 GlycolCetearyl 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 AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidGlycerin (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 GlycerinSodium Phytate is the synthetic salt form of phytic acid. Phytic acid is an antioxidant and can be found in plant seeds.
Sodium Phytate is a chelating agent. Chelating agents help prevent metals from binding to water. This helps stabilize the ingredients and the product.
Water. 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
