What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
Emollient
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil
Emollient
Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Squalane
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Ceramide NP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide AP
Skin Conditioning
Ceramide EOP
Skin Conditioning
Phytosphingosine
Skin Conditioning
Cholesterol
Emollient
Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate
EmulsifyingCarbomer
Emulsion StabilisingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientPalmitic Acid
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Methylparaben
Preservative
Diazolidinyl Urea
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingWater, Octyldodecanol, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Gossypium Herbaceum Seed Oil, Squalane, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Ceramide EOP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, C12-16 Alcohols, Palmitic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Ethylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide
Water
Skin ConditioningC12-15 Alkyl Benzoate
AntimicrobialEthylhexyl Palmitate
Emollient
C13-15 Alkane
SolventCyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate
EmollientDimethicone
Emollient
PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate
EmollientPolyacrylamide
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Dimethicone
Emollient
C13-14 Isoparaffin
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnesium Aluminum Silicate
Absorbent
Laureth-7
EmulsifyingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract
Bleaching
Algae Extract
EmollientVaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract
Skin Protecting
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Methylparaben
Preservative
Ethylparaben
Preservative
Butylparaben
Masking
Propylparaben
Preservative
Isobutylparaben
Antimicrobial
Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingMalonic Acid
BufferingMalachite
Skin ConditioningZinc Carbonate
Silica
Abrasive
Talc
Abrasive
Alumina
Abrasive
Mica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantWater, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, C13-15 Alkane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Stearyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, Dimethicone, PPG-15 Stearyl Ether Benzoate, Polyacrylamide, Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Dimethicone, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Laureth-7, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Algae Extract, Vaccinium Angustifolium Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Butylparaben, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Sodium Hydroxide, Malonic Acid, Malachite, Zinc Carbonate, Silica, Talc, Alumina, Mica, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 42090
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 AlcoholEthylparaben is a preservative, is a paraben, and is not reef safe.
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 GlycerinMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenSodium Hydroxide is also known as lye or caustic soda. It is used to adjust the pH of products; many ingredients require a specific pH to be effective.
In small amounts, sodium hydroxide is considered safe to use. However, large amounts may cause chemical burns due to its high alkaline.
Your skin has a natural pH and acid mantle. This acid mantle helps prevent harmful bacteria from breaking through. The acid mantle also helps keep your skin hydrated.
"Alkaline" refers to a high pH level. A low pH level would be considered acidic.
Learn more about Sodium HydroxideTocopheryl Acetate is AKA Vitamin E. It is an antioxidant and protects your skin from free radicals. Free radicals damage the skin by breaking down collagen.
One study found using Tocopheryl Acetate with Vitamin C decreased the number of sunburned cells.
Tocopheryl Acetate is commonly found in both skincare and dietary supplements.
Learn more about Tocopheryl AcetateWater. 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
