What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter
Emollient
Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin Conditioning
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
Masking
Dalea Spinosa Seed Oil
Masking
Oryza Sativa Bran Oil
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Sodium Anisate
AntimicrobialSodium Levulinate
Skin ConditioningSodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Antioxidant
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientLactic Acid
Buffering
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder
Abrasive
Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.485%
Masking
Water, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Propanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Panthenol, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Dalea Spinosa Seed Oil, Oryza Sativa Bran Oil, Tocopherol, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Sodium Anisate, Sodium Levulinate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Caprylate, Lactic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Citrus Nobilis Peel Oil 0.485%
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl 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 GlycerinSodium 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 HyaluronateWater. 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
