What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Snail Secretion Filtrate
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Petrolatum
Emollient
Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Glycerin
Humectant
Ceteareth-20
CleansingGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
4-Butylresorcinol
Antioxidant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
PEG-100 Stearate
Surfactant
Parfum
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Metabisulfite
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Disodium EDTA
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Myristate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Petrolatum, Arctostaphylos Uva Ursi Leaf Extract, Sodium Lactate, Glycerin, Ceteareth-20, Glyceryl Stearate, 4-Butylresorcinol, Sodium PCA, PEG-100 Stearate, Parfum, Panthenol, Sodium Metabisulfite, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Glycerin
Humectant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCeteareth-20
CleansingDistearyldimonium Chloride
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningDimethicone
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Avena Sativa Kernel Oil
Skin Conditioning
Centella Asiatica Extract
Cleansing
Morus Alba Bark Extract
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract
Skin ConditioningErgosterol
Skin ConditioningGalactoarabinan
Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningTriticum Vulgare Germ Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Disodium EDTA, Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Chloride, Ceteareth-20, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Paraffin, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Ceramide NP, Avena Sativa Kernel Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract, Ergosterol, Galactoarabinan, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare Germ Oil, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Ceteareth-20 is an emulsifier and surfactant made by reacting cetearyl alcohol with 20 moles of ethylene oxide.
This gives it both oil and water-loving properties that makes it an effect emulsifier; it's really great at pulling oil droplets into water to create a stable, creamy, and easy-to-spread base.
Typical use ranges from 0.5-30%. Most leave-on products are in the 1-10% zone.
The 20 ethylene oxide units is well above the PEG-10 threshold and therefore not a food source for Malassezia (it's fungal acne safe).
This ingredient has a comedogenic rating of 2 and an irritancy rating of 3. These numbers come from testing the raw ingredient on rabbit ears and doesn't reflect how it will behave in a finished product.
In practice, this ingredient is a well-tolerated ingredient. The ratings reflect cautious lab conditions and not real-world use. Just be sure to patch test any formulas you feel unsure about.
Learn more about Ceteareth-20Citric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidDisodium EDTA is a chelating agent. It grabs onto and deactivates metal ions that sneak into your products from water, packaging, or air.
This ingredient mainly works behind the scenes and helps with:
On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.
One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).
Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.
You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAGlycerin (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 GlycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolPhenoxyethanol 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.
Potassium Sorbate is a preservative used to prevent yeast and mold in products. It is commonly found in both cosmetic and food products.
This ingredient comes from potassium salt derived from sorbic acid. Sorbic acid is a natural antibiotic and effective against fungus.
Both potassium sorbate and sorbic acid can be found in baked goods, cheeses, dried meats, dried fruit, ice cream, pickles, wine, yogurt, and more.
You'll often find this ingredient used with other preservatives.
Learn more about Potassium SorbateWater. 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
