What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialIsopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Ethoxydiglycol
HumectantCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPalmitoyl Oligopeptide
Cleansing
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate
Skin Conditioning
Dimethyl Isosorbide
SolventPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-6
Emulsion StabilisingDimethicone
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Isopropyl Myristate, Ethoxydiglycol, Cetyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Methylpropanediol
SolventPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Retinol
Skin Conditioning
Ferulic Acid
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Soluble Collagen
Humectant
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Glucosyl Ceramide
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phospholipids
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10
Skin Conditioning
Dipeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer
Humectant
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate
Humectant
Potassium Hyaluronate
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate
Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate
HumectantHydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Ascorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
C13-14 Alkane
SolventLaureth-7
EmulsifyingPolyacrylamide
Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
DMDM Hydantoin
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingWater, Cyclopentasiloxane, Methylpropanediol, Polysorbate 20, Polyglutamic Acid, Retinol, Ferulic Acid, Glycerin, Sodium PCA, Bisabolol, Soluble Collagen, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Glucosyl Ceramide, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phospholipids, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-10, Dipeptide-1, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-9, Hyaluronic Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbyl Propyl Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, C13-14 Alkane, Laureth-7, Polyacrylamide, Trimethylpentanediol/Adipic Acid Copolymer, BHT, DMDM Hydantoin, Parfum, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Carbomer
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 CarbomerGlycerin (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 GlycerinPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Polysorbate 20 is a gentle, water-soluble emulsifier and mild surfactant. It stops oil and water from separating to keep your formulas blended and stable.
It also acts as a mild penetration enhancer by helping active ingredients absorb slightly better.
The common safety discussion around this ingredient involves a manufacturing byproduct called 1,4-dioxane.
Trace amounts can form during production but the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety has concluded that levels at/below 10 ppm in finished products are safe (commercial products consistently fall within acceptable margins).
True allergic reactions are uncommon and the CIR Expert Panel has confirmed this ingredient to be safe as used in cosmetics.
Because it is derived from lauric acid, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Polysorbate 20Water. 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
