What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate
UV Filter
Ethylhexyl Triazone
UV Absorber
Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol
UV Filter
Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Water
Skin ConditioningDiisopropyl Adipate
EmollientAcrylates Copolymer
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingNiacinamide
Smoothing
Silicon
Abrasive
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningDecyl Glucoside
Cleansing
Saccharide Isomerate
Humectant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingOctyldodecanol
Emollient
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil
Perfuming
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Glycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Salmo Oil
Emollient
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sodium Citrate
BufferingLinalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Water, Diisopropyl Adipate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cetearyl Alcohol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Niacinamide, Silicon, Ethylhexylglycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Saccharide Isomerate, Xanthan Gum, Octyldodecanol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Cedrus Atlantica Wood Oil, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Glycine Soja Oil, Salmo Oil, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningZinc Oxide
Cosmetic Colorant
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate
Emulsifying
Isostearic Acid
Cleansing
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Pentane
SolventTerminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingGluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Sodium Chloride
MaskingPEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate
Emulsifying
Disodium EDTA
Iron Oxides
Water, Zinc Oxide, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Isostearic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Pentane, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Octyldodecanol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Chloride, PEG-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Disodium EDTA, Iron Oxides
Reviews
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.
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 AlcoholCoco-Caprylate/Caprate is a lightweight ester created from coconut oil fatty acids, caprylic acid, and capric acid.
It is an emollient that helps soften skin and reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). What sets it apart from heavier emollients is its ultralight, non-greasy feel.
Once applied, this ingredient dries down quickly and leaves a dry, silky finish behind. This also helps improve spreadability and texture.
This ingredient has an excellent safety-record and is non-irritating.
Typical concentrations for cosmetics range from 0.5-62%.
Research on Malassezia growth found no growth on fatty acid esters with chain lengths shorter than 12 carbons (it prefers C11-24).
Since Coco-Caprylate/Caprate is built on C8 and C10 fatty acids, it is out of the range that Malassezia metabolizes, and therefore safe for fungal acne.
Learn more about Coco-Caprylate/CaprateGlycerin (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 GlycerinOctyldodecanol is a fatty alcohol sourced from plant oils like coconut or palm (or made synthetically).
It is:
You'll likely see this in many BHA products because this is the go-to solvent for salicylic acid.
This ingredient is typically used at levels between 2-20%.
Regarding fungal acne:
In 2019, this ingredient was tested against multiple Malassezia species (the yeast that causes fungal acne) and showed no growth.
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 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
