What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emulsifying
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
Emollient
Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Emulsion Stabilising
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingCaprylhydroxamic Acid
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingDimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Skin Conditioning
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Bisabolol, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
Emollient
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Lecithin
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Lauryl Alcohol
Emollient
Myristyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Camellia Sinensis Polyphenols
Antioxidant
Resveratrol
Antioxidant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTriethanolamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Tetrasodium EDTA
Water, Squalane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caffeine, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lauryl Alcohol, Myristyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Camellia Sinensis Polyphenols, Resveratrol, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Bisabolol, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Bisabolol is a gentle skin conditioner, antioxidant, and soothing ingredient.
It's primary claim to fame is soothing and research shows topically applied bisabolol can quiet the chemical messengers that cause your skin to become inflamed, helping to sooth any irritation.
A clinical study found that applying 0.5% bisabolol daily for 8 weeks produced an average 9% decrease in skin pigmentation. Researchers found it can also suppress the process that leads to excess melanin production in skin.
In vitro studies found that bisabolol combined with propylene glycol significantly increased skin permeability by increasing lipid fluidity in the stratum corneum.
You'll likely see use concentrations quite low, usually 0.1-0.2%.
Overall, this is a well-tolerated ingredient that works well in formulas designed for sensitive, reactive, or post-procedure skin.
Learn more about BisabololCaprylyl 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, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCarbomer 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 CarbomerCyclopentasiloxane (D5) is a lightweight silicone that mostly acts as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics. Its the reason your products feel silky, fast-spreading, and non-greasy.
Since D5 is volatile, it does its thing and then evaporates off the skin quickly.
The safety profile of this ingredient is reassuring; the US CIR Expert Panel concluded D5 is safe as used in cosmetics and Health Canada concluded that D5 is not harmful to human health or the environment as currently used in cosmetics
There's a study that people mention about D5 in a rat study showing tumors. This study is related to long-term inhalation of high D5 levels.
Regulatory bodies have judged this study to be not applicable in topical skincare since skin absorption of D5 is very low and we're not really inhaling huge amounts of D5.
The only restriction for this ingredient is environmental. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) restricted D5 in wash-off cosmetics at or above 0.1% due to their persistence in water.
Learn more about CyclopentasiloxaneDimethicone is a type of synthetic silicone created from natural materials such as quartz. It is also known as polydimethylsiloxane.
What it does:
Dimethicone comes in different viscosities:
Depending on the viscosity, dimethicone has different properties.
Ingredients lists don't always show which type is used, so we recommend reaching out to the brand if you have questions about the viscosity.
This ingredient is unlikely to cause irritation because it does not get absorbed into skin. However, people with silicone allergies should be careful about using this ingredient.
Note: Dimethicone may contribute to pilling. This is because it is not oil or water soluble, so pilling may occur when layered with products. When mixed with heavy oils in a formula, the outcome is also quite greasy.
Learn more about DimethiconeGlyceryl 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 StearateSodium Hyaluronate is the salt form of hyaluronic acid. It is a long sugar chain that is naturally found in your skin, joints, and connective tissue that maintains hydration and elasticity.
In skincare, it works as a humectant. It pulls water from the environment and deeper layers of skin and binds it to the surface.
Interestingly, the size of the molecule affects its behavior:
Some clinical evidence links low molecular weight versions to improved wrinkle depth, elasticity, anti-inflammatory effects, and barrier repair.
Many serums use a blend of both weights so you can get surface hydration plus longer-lasting and deeper effects.
You'll typically see concentrations between 0.1-2% for this ingredient.
Learn more about Sodium HyaluronateStearic 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 AcidTriethanolamine (TEA) is an emulsifier and pH adjuster. It is created using ethylene oxide and ammonia. This gives Triethanolamine a nitrogen core and a similar scent to ammonia.
As an emulsifier, it prevents ingredients from separating and enhances texture by adding volume to a product.
PH adjusters are common in cosmetic products. The pH of a product can affect the effectiveness of other ingredients. A product with a high pH may also irritate the skin.
If you are looking for the tea leaf ingredient, click here.
Learn more about TriethanolamineWater. 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
