What's inside
What's inside
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingGlycerin
Humectant
Hydrolyzed Keratin
Humectant
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
Masking
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Petrolatum
Emollient
Sodium Chloride
MaskingAmodimethicone
Vp/Dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate Copolymer
Disodium EDTA
PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether
Emulsion StabilisingCetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Benzyl Salicylate
Perfuming
Coumarin
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Keratin, Behentrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Paraffinum Liquidum, Lactic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Petrolatum, Sodium Chloride, Amodimethicone, Vp/Dimethylaminoethylmethacrylate Copolymer, Disodium EDTA, PEG-7 Propylheptyl Ether, Cetrimonium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Salicylate, Coumarin, Hexyl Cinnamal, Limonene, Linalool
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialPEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Steartrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Di-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningDicocodimonium Chloride
EmulsifyingStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingCarboxymethyl Alanyl Disulfide Keratin
Dioscorea Alata Root Extract
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Quaternium-80
Amodimethicone
Lauryl Betaine
CleansingLactic Acid
Buffering
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Adenosine Phosphate
Skin ConditioningPhenol
Cyclopentasiloxane, Water, Dimethicone, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Steartrimonium Chloride, Di-C12-18 Alkyl Dimonium Chloride, Dicocodimonium Chloride, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Carboxymethyl Alanyl Disulfide Keratin, Dioscorea Alata Root Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Paraffinum Liquidum, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Quaternium-80, Amodimethicone, Lauryl Betaine, Lactic Acid, Isopropyl Alcohol, Adenosine Phosphate, Phenol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This water-soluble silicone is used for its hydrating and softening properties. It is used to add a silky feel to skincare products and has great benefits for haircare.
In haircare, this ingredient:
- Adds shine
- Protects color
- Offers thermal protection
- Boosts hair strength
- Does not build up as easily
Dimethicone 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 DimethiconeGlycerin (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 GlycerinLactic Acid is another well-loved alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It is gentler than glycolic acid but still highly effective.
Its main role is to exfoliate the surface of the skin by loosening the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. Shedding those old cells leads to smoother, softer, and more even-toned skin.
Because lactic acid molecules are larger than glycolic acid, they don’t penetrate as deeply. This means they’re less likely to sting or irritate, making it a great choice for beginners or those with sensitive skin.
Like glycolic acid, it can:
Lactic acid also acts as a humectant (like hyaluronic acid). It can draw water into the skin to improve hydration and also plays a role in the skin's natural moisturizing factor (NMF) in the form of sodium lactate.
Studies show it can boost ceramide production to strengthen the skin barrier and even help balance the skin’s microbiome.
To get results, choose products with a pH between 3-4.
Lower strengths (5-12%) focus on surface exfoliation; higher strengths (12% and up) can reach deeper in the dermis (deeper, supportive layer) to improve skin texture and firmness over time.
Though it was originally derived from milk, most modern lactic acid used in skincare is vegan. It is made through non-dairy fermentation to create a bio-identical and stable form suitable for all formulations.
When lactic acid shows up near the end of an ingredient list, it usually means the brand added just a tiny amount to adjust the product’s pH.
Legend has it that Cleopatra used to bathe in sour milk to help reduce wrinkles.
Lactic acid is truly a gentle multitasker: it exfoliates, hydrates, strengthens, and brightens. It's a great ingredient for giving your skin a smooth, glowing, and healthy look without the harshness of stronger acids.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Lactic AcidParaffinum Liquidum is a highly-refined cosmetic-grade mineral oil. It is also known as liquid paraffin.
Despite its controversial reputation, the science is pretty clear: it's one of the most well-studied and effective moisturizing ingredients out there.
As an occlusive, it forms a protective layer on the skin that locks in moisture and prevents transepidermal water loss (TEWL). This makes it especially great for compromised skin barriers.
The "it clogs your pores" myth has been around for decades; a study found that industrial-grade mineral oil may be comedogenic but cosmetic-grade mineral oil is not (these two are very, very different).
A 2017 review concluded that cosmetic use of mineral oils and waxes does not present a risk to consumers due to absorption.
Mineral oil got a bad rap from the old rabbit ear studies. When tested on actual human skin, cosmetic-grade mineral oil showed no comedogenic activity. The rating of 0 is a correction of outdated science.
Mineral oil is an inert substance with no fatty acids so there's nothing to feed Malassezia. This ingredient is fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Paraffinum LiquidumWe don't have a description for Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine yet.
Water. 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
