What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientSodium Lactate
BufferingAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
EmollientOryza Sativa Bran Water
MaskingPolyquaternium-10
PEG-150
HumectantGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantHydrogenated Castor Oil
EmollientCaffeine
Skin ConditioningPanax Ginseng Extract
AntioxidantCurcuma Longa Root Extract
MaskingPanthenol
Skin ConditioningRosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil
MaskingBiotinoyl Tripeptide-1
Lactic Acid
BufferingButylene Glycol
HumectantCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
EmulsifyingPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningOligopeptide-2
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetrimonium Chloride, Behentrimonium Chloride, Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Lactate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Water, Polyquaternium-10, PEG-150, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Caffeine, Panax Ginseng Extract, Curcuma Longa Root Extract, Panthenol, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, Biotinoyl Tripeptide-1, Lactic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Oligopeptide-2, Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
HumectantStearic Acid
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientEmulsifying Wax Nf
Glyceryl Montanate
EmulsifyingCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientNiacinamide
SmoothingRosa Canina Fruit Extract
AstringentAmber Extract
Skin ConditioningSqualane
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingRetinol
Skin ConditioningHyaluronic Acid
HumectantCollagen
MoisturisingCeramide AP
Skin ConditioningPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingWater, Glycerin, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Emulsifying Wax Nf, Glyceryl Montanate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Amber Extract, Squalane, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Retinol, Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, Ceramide AP, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
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 CarbomerCetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCetyl 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 GlycerinPotassium 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 SorbateSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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