What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
SurfactantCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCetyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingVitis Vinifera Seed Oil
EmollientGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningCetyl Esters
EmollientMoroccan Lava Clay
AbrasiveCocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein
Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil
MaskingUlmus Davidiana Root Extract
Skin ConditioningBambusa Vulgaris Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingMacrocystis Pyrifera Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Extract
AstringentUrtica Dioica Extract
AstringentMangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin ConditioningAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSpirulina Platensis Powder
Skin ProtectingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeWater, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Chloride, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Diheptyl Succinate, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Cetyl Esters, Moroccan Lava Clay, Cocoyl Hydrolyzed Quinoa Protein, Tanacetum Annuum Flower Oil, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Bambusa Vulgaris Extract, Parfum, Macrocystis Pyrifera Extract, Equisetum Arvense Extract, Urtica Dioica Extract, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Spirulina Platensis Powder, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSqualane
EmollientHydrogenated Farnesene
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingCetyl Esters
EmollientCapryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeHippophae Rhamnoides Oil
EmollientPanthenol
Skin ConditioningArginine
MaskingAspartic Acid
MaskingPCA
HumectantGlycine
BufferingAlanine
MaskingSerine
MaskingValine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin ConditioningThreonine
Histidine
HumectantPhenylalanine
MaskingLactic Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantSodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
HumectantSodium Lactate
BufferingBenzyl Alcohol
PerfumingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
MaskingHexyl Cinnamal
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Squalane, Hydrogenated Farnesene, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Cetyl Esters, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Diheptyl Succinate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract, Behentrimonium Chloride, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Panthenol, Arginine, Aspartic Acid, PCA, Glycine, Alanine, Serine, Valine, Isoleucine, Proline, Threonine, Histidine, Phenylalanine, Lactic Acid, Tocopherol, Sodium Gluconate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium PCA, Sodium Lactate, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
We don't have a description for Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer yet.
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.
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 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.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. It is a primary fatty alcohol with a chain length above 12 carbons. A study from 2019 show Malassezia can feed on fatty alcohols in this range, so it may trigger fungal acne in those prone to it.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCetyl Esters is an emollient with an interesting backstory: it's a synthetic wax originally designed to be a copy of spermaceti, a waxy material that used to be harvested from whales.
This ingredient delivers the same "velvety" feel without anything animal-derived (usually made from coconut or palm-sourced fatty alcohols/acids).
Chemically, it's a blend of esters from 14-18 fatty acids and alcohols that is a solid at room temperature but melts on contact with skin. It helps soften and smooth the skin while improving the feel and spread of products.
Typical use concentrations range from 1-10% (most commonly 2-5%).
The CIR Expert Panel has concluded it's safe as used and has shown no skin irritation in available studies.
Because it's a blend of fatty acid esters in the chain-length range that Malassezia can feed on, it may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetyl EstersWe don't have a description for Diheptyl Succinate yet.
Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumWater. 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