What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
Emulsifying
Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningCymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil
Masking
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Hydroxyacetophenone
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingLauryl Glucoside
CleansingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSorbic Acid
Preservative
Citral
Perfuming
Water, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Candelilla/Jojoba/Rice Bran Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Ribes Nigrum Leaf Extract, Rubus Idaeus Leaf Extract, Cymbopogon Citratus Leaf Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Arginine, Hydroxyacetophenone, Xanthan Gum, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sorbic Acid, Citral
Water
Skin ConditioningPerlite
Absorbent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
PEG-100 Stearate
Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil
Emollient
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydrogenated Castor Oil
Emollient
Limonene
Perfuming
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Parfum
Masking
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil
Masking
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, Perlite, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Ananas Sativus Fruit Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Stearyl Alcohol, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Stearyl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Limonene, Lactobacillus Ferment, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Parfum, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Peel Oil, Linalool
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.
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 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 StearateHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPhenoxyethanol 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 WaterXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan Gum
