What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylyl Methicone
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Polydecene
Emollient1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isododecane
EmollientBis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Cetearyl Olivate
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract
Astringent
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Oenothera Biennis Oil
Emollient
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Rosa Hybrid Callus Culture Extract
HumectantC12-16 Alcohols
EmollientSorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Caprylyl Methicone, Hydrogenated Polydecene, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isododecane, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Beta-Glucan, Centella Asiatica Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Panthenol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Oenothera Biennis Oil, Ceramide NP, Rosa Hybrid Callus Culture Extract, C12-16 Alcohols, Sorbitan Olivate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Arginine, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Carbomer, Palmitic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Phytosphingosine, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isohexadecane
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Methyl Gluceth-20
Humectant
Ethylhexyl Salicylate
UV Absorber
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sucrose Cocoate
Emulsifying
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
Exfoliating
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Polyacrylamide
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Myrtrimonium Bromide
Preservative
Linalool
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Eugenol
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Citronellol
Perfuming
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Dimethicone, Isopropyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Stearate, Alcohol Denat., Stearyl Alcohol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Disodium EDTA, Sucrose Cocoate, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Laureth-7, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Polyacrylamide, Tocopheryl Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Myrtrimonium Bromide, Linalool, Geraniol, Eugenol, Limonene, Citronellol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Parfum
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Disodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 StearatePanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolStearyl 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.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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
