What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Glyceryl Caprylate
EmollientAminomethyl Propanol
BufferingShorea Robusta Resin
TonicRhus Verniciflua Peel Wax
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMicrocrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Glyceryl Undecylenate
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Water, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, C10-18 Triglycerides, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Glycerin, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Hydrogenated Castor Oil/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate, Aminomethyl Propanol, Shorea Robusta Resin, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax, Xanthan Gum, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Tocopherol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningCera Alba
Emollient
Jojoba Esters
Emollient
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearyl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Palmitate
EmulsifyingAminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingCetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Paraffin
Skin ConditioningCetyl Stearate
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cera Microcristallina
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium Phosphate
BufferingPolysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Phosphate
BufferingCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cera Alba, Jojoba Esters, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Stearyl Stearate, Stearyl Palmitate, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Cetyl Palmitate, Paraffin, Cetyl Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol, Behenic Acid, Cera Microcristallina, Disodium Phosphate, Polysorbate 60, Tocopherol, Sodium Phosphate, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
This ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
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 GlycerinPalmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidTocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.
You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.
Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.
It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.
This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.
This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.
In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.
Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.
Learn more about TocopherolWater. 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
