What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
Emollient
Glycolic Acid
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8
Skin Conditioning
Ectoin
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil
Emollient
Phragmites Communis Extract
Skin ConditioningPoria Cocos Extract
Skin ConditioningSphingomonas Ferment Extract
Skin Conditioning
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Squalene
Emollient
Beta-Sitosterol
Emulsion Stabilising
Dextran
Steareth-20
CleansingCeteth-20
CleansingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Coco-Caprylate, Glycolic Acid, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-8, Ectoin, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Caryodendron Orinocense Seed Oil, Phragmites Communis Extract, Poria Cocos Extract, Sphingomonas Ferment Extract, Butylene Glycol, Squalene, Beta-Sitosterol, Dextran, Steareth-20, Ceteth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-75 Stearate, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningCentella Asiatica Extract 12.3%
Cleansing
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetyl Ethylhexanoate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Glutathione
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Madecassic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Asiaticoside
Antioxidant
Asiatic Acid
Skin Conditioning
Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Hydrolyzed Collagen
Emollient
Beta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Nelumbo Nucifera Extract
Skin ConditioningArtemisia Annua Extract
MaskingOryza Sativa Extract
Absorbent
Saccharomyces Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantButylene Glycol
Humectant
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Cholesterol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Saccharide Hydrolysate
HumectantSorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Centella Asiatica Extract 12.3%, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Glutathione, Niacinamide, Madecassic Acid, Asiaticoside, Asiatic Acid, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Beta-Glucan, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Artemisia Annua Extract, Oryza Sativa Extract, Saccharomyces Ferment, Squalane, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dipropylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cholesterol, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Sorbitan Stearate, Dimethicone, PEG-100 Stearate, Stearic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Chlorphenesin, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl 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 or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 StearateWater. 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
