What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPropanediol
Solvent
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Squalane
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Dimethicone
Emollient
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea
Skin ConditioningPhytosterols
Skin Conditioning
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Canola Oil
Emollient
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Cetyl Palmitate
Emollient
Sorbitan Palmitate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
Methyl Caprooyl Tyrosinate
Skin ProtectingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingArginine
Masking
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Water, Propanediol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Squalane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, 1,2-Hexanediol, Myristoyl/Palmitoyl Oxostearamide/Arachamide Mea, Phytosterols, Tocopheryl Acetate, Canola Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Cetyl Palmitate, Sorbitan Palmitate, Sorbitan Olivate, Bisabolol, Methyl Caprooyl Tyrosinate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Carbomer, Arginine, Caprylyl Glycol
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Petrolatum
Emollient
Triethylhexanoin
MaskingParaffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sorbitan Stearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Lanolin
Emollient
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Ns
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide Eos
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Caprooyl Sphingosine
Skin ConditioningDihydroxylignoceroyl Phytosphingosine
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPotassium Chloride
Pyridoxine Hcl
Skin ConditioningSerine
Masking
Oligopeptide-24
Skin Conditioning
Dimethicone
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingDisodium EDTA
ChelatingTriethanolamine
BufferingCeteareth-25
CleansingPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Petrolatum, Triethylhexanoin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Pentylene Glycol, Sorbitan Stearate, Polysorbate 60, Lanolin, Ceramide EOP, Ceramide Ns, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide Eos, Caprooyl Phytosphingosine, Caprooyl Sphingosine, Dihydroxylignoceroyl Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Behenic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Pyridoxine Hcl, Serine, Oligopeptide-24, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Triethanolamine, Ceteareth-25, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Behenyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol
Reviews
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 synthetic thickening and gelling agent. It's basically the ingredient that gives a lot of serums, gels, creams, and sunscreens their smooth, non-sticky texture.
Although legally permitted at very high levels, carbomers are normally used at concentrations below 1%.
It also needs to be neutralized to actually thicken, and because it is a large molecule, it doesn't really penetrate the skin barrier.
Allergy-wise, the risk is very low. Clinical studies show carbomers have low potential for skin irritation/sensitization even at concentrations up to 100%.
A 2024 UK study patch-tested 1,302 patients and found true allergy to the parent group of carbomer to be rare with no confirmed relevant reactions.
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.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholDimethicone 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 GlycerinWater. 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
