What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCanola Oil
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Paraffinum Liquidum
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Myristate
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium PCA
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
PEG-100 Stearate
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Hybrid Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Dimethicone
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningEthylhexyl Stearate
Emollient
Urea
Buffering
Sodium Chloride
MaskingCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Glyceryl Stearates
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Squalane
Emollient
Behenic Acid
Cleansing
Cetyl Behenate
Isostearyl Isostearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingDimethicone
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingTromethamine
BufferingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Dehydroacetic Acid
Preservative
Water, Ethylhexyl Stearate, Urea, Sodium Chloride, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearates, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-6 Palmitate/Succinate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lactic Acid, Squalane, Behenic Acid, Cetyl Behenate, Isostearyl Isostearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Xanthan Gum, Tromethamine, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl 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 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 DimethiconePhenoxyethanol 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.
Water. 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
