What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
No concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningPolyglyceryl-2 Stearate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCeramide EOP
Skin ConditioningCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningCeramide As
Skin ConditioningCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningCarnosine
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPolyacrylate Crosspolymer-11
Emulsion Stabilising1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningWater
Skin ConditioningDicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
MaskingGlycerin
HumectantPropanediol
SolventCaprylyl Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientJojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters
Skin ConditioningBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientStearyl Alcohol
EmollientNylon-11
Dicaprylyl Ether
EmollientSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantOryza Sativa Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningSqualene
EmollientHydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Vegetable Oil
EmollientGlycine Soja Sterols
EmollientPhytosteryl Canola Glycerides
Skin ConditioningChondrus Crispus Extract
Skin ConditioningPhytosteryl Macadamiate
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialHelianthus Annuus Extract
EmollientEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantDilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer
EmollientPentylene Glycol
Skin ConditioningTrisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Gluconolactone
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingWater, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Propanediol, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Jojoba Oil/Macadamia Seed Oil Esters, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Lecithin, Stearyl Alcohol, Nylon-11, Dicaprylyl Ether, Sodium Hyaluronate, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Squalene, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Glycine Soja Sterols, Phytosteryl Canola Glycerides, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Phytosteryl Macadamiate, Phytosterols, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Dilinoleic Acid/Propanediol Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid
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Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Glycerin (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 StearatePentylene glycol is typically used within a product to thicken it. It also adds a smooth, soft, and moisturizing feel to the product. It is naturally found in plants such as sugar beets.
The hydrophilic trait of Pentylene Glycol makes it a humectant. As a humectant, Pentylene Glycol helps draw moisture from the air to your skin. This can help keep your skin hydrated.
This property also makes Pentylene Glycol a great texture enhancer. It can also help thicken or stabilize a product.
Pentylene Glycol also acts as a mild preservative and helps to keep a product microbe-free.
Some people may experience mild eye and skin irritation from Pentylene Glycol. We always recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient in your routine.
Pentylene Glycol has a low molecular weight and is part of the 1,2-glycol family.
Learn more about Pentylene GlycolPhytosterols are plant-derived sterols (you can think of them as the plant world's version of cholesterol). In cosmetics, this ingredient is usually sourced from soybean, rice bran, shea, sunflower, and other seed oils.
The main actors in this group are β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol (the CIR covers 27 phytosterols).
They work by fitting perfectly into your stratum corneum's lipid matrix since they're structurally similar to cholesterol. Here, they reinforce your skin's barrier.
One small in vivo human study showed topical soybean phytosterols sped up barrier recovery within three days on tape-stripped skin.
Broader research credits them with:
Formulation use typically sit under 5%.
Testing in soy-allergic subjects found no sensitization signals, but be sure to patch test if you are unsure or have existing allergies.
Learn more about PhytosterolsStearyl Alcohol is a type of fatty alcohol from stearic acid. It is a white, waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Emollients help soothe and hydrate the skin by trapping moisture.
Fatty alcohols are usually derived from natural fats and oils and therefore do not have the same drying or irritating effect as solvent (ethanol) alcohols.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Stearyl AlcoholWater. 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