What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Diutan Gum
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Phytate
Phytic Acid
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water
Skin ConditioningCocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine
Cleansing
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Glycolipids
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Phytate
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingPolylysine
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate
Cleansing
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningWater, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Behenyl Alcohol, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Glycolipids, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Allantoin, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Persea Gratissima Oil, Sodium Phytate, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Polylysine, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Stearyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate, Ethylhexylglycerin
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Behenyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol (these are different from the drying, solvent alcohols).
Fatty Alcohols have hydrating properties and are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product. They are usually derived from natural fats and oils; behenyl alcohol is derived from the fats of vegetable oils.
Emollients help keep your skin soft and hydrated by creating a film that traps moisture in.
In 2000, Behenyl Alcohol was approved by the US as medicine to reduce the duration of cold sores.
Learn more about Behenyl AlcoholGlyceryl 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 StearateGlycolipids are natural, sustainable biosurfactants. They are both surfactants (cleansing agents) and emollients.
Made from lipids and sugars, in-vitro studies show glycolipids are a gentle alternative to conventional surfactants. They also possess foaming properties to give cleaning products a nice texture.
One manufacturer study found their glycolipid also demonstrated sebum reduction and helped reduced oiliness after four weeks. This means it can also be great for scalp care.
Learn more about GlycolipidsPentylene Glycol (1,2-pentanediol) is a multitasking little diol with three main roles in a formula:
Research on alkanediols (the family pentylene glycol belongs to) show they work by disrupting microbial cell membranes. This disruption helps the primary preservative system in a product work more effectively at lower doses.
On the safety side, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has concluded this ingredient to be safe as used in current cosmetic practices + concentrations.
Typical use levels in a formula run about 1-5%.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhenoxyethanol is one of the most widely used preservatives in skincare (and for good reason!).
It has a large spectrum of antimicrobial activity and especially effective bacteria, yeast, and mold while only having a weak effect on your skin's natural microbiome.
On a cellular level, it disrupts the cell membranes of microbes by poking holes that make the cell leak. This shuts down the chemical reactions the microbe needs to make energy so it can no longer survive.
Another perk of this ingredient is that it stays functional across a wide pH range (3-10).
You'll often see it paired with boosters like Ethylhexylglycerin; one study showed that a 1:9 ratio of Ethylhexylglycerin to Phenoxyethanol damages bacterial membranes as effectively as doubling the Phenoxyethanol concentration on its own.
Typical use concentrations range from 0.3-1% depending on the formula, and this ingredient is capped at 1% int the EU.
Safety-wise, the fear mongering does not hold up to the evidence. The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety and FDA consider it safe as a preservative at up to 1%, including for children of all ages.
Adverse systemic effects only showed up in animal studies at exposures roughly 200x higher than what people get from cosmetics. And despite its very widespread use, this ingredient is a rare sensitizer and allergic reactions are uncommon.
Learn more about PhenoxyethanolPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6 is a texture enhancer and pH adjuster.
It is be used to thicken water-based products and create a gel-texture with a velvet feel.
One manufacturer claims this ingredient to have a pH range of 2-8 and to be biodegradable.
This ingredient is also known as Sepimax Zen.
Learn more about Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate isn't fungal acne safe.
We don't have a description for Polyglyceryl-6 Dicaprate yet.
Sodium 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.
Stearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
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 Stearyl AlcoholTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate is used to help stabilize a product.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it helps prevent metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This prevents unwanted reactions in products. Metal ions can come into a product via the water ingredient. They are found in trace amounts and are not known to be harmful.
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
