What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPetrolatum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glycol Stearate
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Colloidal Oatmeal
Absorbent
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hydroxystearic Acid
Cleansing
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingStearamide Amp
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Arachidic Acid
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
BHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Propylparaben
Preservative
Water, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Glycol Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Colloidal Oatmeal, Dimethicone, Hydroxystearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Myristate, Cetyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbomer, Stearamide Amp, Palmitic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
C15-19 Alkane
SolventGlyceryl Stearate Se
Emulsifying
Petrolatum
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Pantolactone
Humectant
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate
Cleansing
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Parfum
Masking
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, C15-19 Alkane, Glyceryl Stearate Se, Petrolatum, Glyceryl Stearate, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Pantolactone, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, 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.
Carbomer 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 CarbomerDimethicone 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 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 StearateIsopropyl Palmitate is a texture enhancer and emollient. It is an ester of isopropyl alcohol and palmitic acid.
Palmitates are emollients. Emollients help keep your skin soft and smooth by creating a barrier that traps moisture in.
When added to cosmetics, Isopropyl Palmitate creates a silky texture and improves spreadability.
Isopropyl Palmitate may not be fungal acne safe. It can worsen acne prone skin.
Learn more about Isopropyl PalmitatePetrolatum is more commonly known as petroleum jelly. It is created by mixing waxes and mineral oils.
This ingredient is effective at reducing water loss by 99%. This is because it is an occlusive. Occlusives create a hydrophobic barrier on the skin to prevent evaporation. This property makes it great for hydrating dry skin.
Pro tip: Use occlusives, such as this ingredient, on damp skin for the best results.
The quality or origin of petrolatum is only known when disclosed by the brand. Most cosmetic petrolatum has gone through several purification stages.
Another benefit of occlusives is it protects your skin against infection or allergies.
Petrolatum is fungal acne safe. It is a hydrocarbon with no fatty acid structure, so Malassezia cannot metabolize it. In-vitro studies support negligible growth stimulation as well.
It's also worth noting that petrolatum has a comedogenic rating of 0. In updated rabbit ear testing (and in human testing), petrolatum was found to be not comedogenic. This means it didn’t promote comedone formation in standard models.
Learn more about PetrolatumPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
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
