What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Beeswax
Emulsion Stabilising
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Solanum Virginianum Extract
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
Emollient
Sodium Polyacrylate
Absorbent
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialCentella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Chamomilla Recutita Extract
Skin Conditioning
Golden Extract
Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Illicium Verum Fruit Extract
Perfuming
Betaine
Humectant
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Trehalose
Humectant
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polyglutamic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Oleic Acid
Emollient
Acetyl Hexapeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Xylitol
Humectant
Hexapeptide-9
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Disodium EDTA
Glutathione
Parfum
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Butylene Glycol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Cyclopentasiloxane, Niacinamide, Cetearyl Alcohol, Beeswax, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polysorbate 60, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Solanum Virginianum Extract, Dimethiconol, Sodium Polyacrylate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Golden Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Betaine, Allantoin, Trehalose, Polysorbate 20, Palmitic Acid, Polyglutamic Acid, Oleic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-1, Xylitol, Hexapeptide-9, Ceramide NP, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Glutathione, Parfum
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Diisostearyl Malate
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientStearic Acid
Cleansing
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Madecassoside
Antioxidant
Phytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Glucose
Humectant
Myristic Acid
Cleansing
Lauric Acid
Cleansing
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Propanediol, Panthenol, Glycerin, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Diisostearyl Malate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tromethamine, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Caprylate, Stearic Acid, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Palmitic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Sorbitan Isostearate, Madecassoside, Phytosterols, Beta-Glucan, Glucose, Myristic Acid, Lauric Acid, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.Ā
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservativesĀ
Cetearyl 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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDisodium 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 StearatePalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidPolyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate is a plant-derived emulsifier whose only job is to keep the oily and watery parts of a formula blended so it doesn't separate into layers.
It's compatible with a wide-range of active ingredients and especially good at making emulsions survive heat/freeze cycles.
Typical use concentrations range from 2-3% and it works across a pH of 4.5-8.5.
This ingredient has been found safe to use in cosmetics and has a low irritation profile.
Because it's build on stearic acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. Stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that falls within the range (C11-24) that Malassezia can feed on.
Learn more about Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose DistearateStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
