What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCeteth-20
CleansingCetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
PEG-75 Stearate
Steareth-20
CleansingIsohexadecane
EmollientIsodecyl Isononanoate
EmollientCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Stearyl Dimethicone
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Myristyl Myristate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientPropanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Dimethicone
Emollient
C10-18 Triglycerides
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Squalene
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Dimethiconol
Emollient
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingBehenyl Behenate
EmollientCalotropis Procera Callus Extract
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tripeptide-3
Skin Conditioning
Tribehenin
Emollient
Acmella Oleracea Extract
Skin ProtectingEctoin
Skin Conditioning
Allantoin
Skin Conditioning
Maris Aqua
HumectantParfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Geraniol
Perfuming
Water, Ceteth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-75 Stearate, Steareth-20, Isohexadecane, Isodecyl Isononanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Myristyl Myristate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, C10-18 Triglycerides, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Squalene, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethiconol, Pvp, Behenyl Behenate, Calotropis Procera Callus Extract, Butylene Glycol, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Chlorphenesin, Tripeptide-3, Tribehenin, Acmella Oleracea Extract, Ectoin, Allantoin, Maris Aqua, Parfum, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Limonene, Geraniol
Water
Skin ConditioningTridecyl Trimellitate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate
Emulsifying
Glyceryl Behenate
Emollient
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Wheat Straw Glycosides
EmulsifyingHypnea Musciformis Extract
Skin ProtectingGelidiella Acerosa Extract
Skin ProtectingPolygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract
Antioxidant
Laminaria Digitata Extract
Skin Protecting
Saccharomyces Lysate Extract
Humectant
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract
Skin ConditioningWhey Protein
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
Humectant
Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Humectant
Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin Conditioning
Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Skin Conditioning
Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate
Skin Conditioning
Lactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hyaluronate
Humectant
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caffeine
Skin Conditioning
Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate
Antioxidant
Sucrose
Humectant
Acetyl Glucosamine
Skin Conditioning
Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
Humectant
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingJojoba Esters
Emollient
Tridecyl Stearate
Emollient
Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate
EmulsifyingMolasses Extract
Skin ConditioningTrehalose
Humectant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCholesterol
Emollient
Bisabolol
Antioxidant
PEG-8
HumectantCera Alba
Emollient
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer
HumectantGlycine Soja Seed Extract
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Nylon-12
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax
Emulsifying
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPolysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingBHT
Antioxidant
Disodium EDTA
Sodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Water, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Glycerin, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate, Glyceryl Behenate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Propanediol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Wheat Straw Glycosides, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sigesbeckia Orientalis Extract, Whey Protein, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Seed Extract, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12, Phytosteryl/Isostearyl/Cetyl/Stearyl/Behenyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Lactobacillus Ferment, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Caffeine, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Sucrose, Acetyl Glucosamine, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Arachidyl Glucoside, Jojoba Esters, Tridecyl Stearate, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Molasses Extract, Trehalose, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cholesterol, Bisabolol, PEG-8, Cera Alba, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer, Glycine Soja Seed Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Tocopherol, Nylon-12, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Arachidyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax, Behenyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Carbomer, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Phenoxyethanol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid or alcohol, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCetearyl 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 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.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholGlycerin (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 GlycerinGlyceryl Stearate is made by reacting glycerin with stearic acid (typically sourced from plant oils like palm or coconut). It's an emulsifier, emollient, and mild occlusive.
Emulsifiers help ingredients like oil and water stay mixed so your formula stays nicely blended and uniform in texture.
This ingredient is typically used in concentrations between 1-10%. Studies have found it to be non-sensitizing, non-phototoxic, and non-photoallergenic.
A close cousin of this ingredient is Glyceryl Stearate SE ("self-emulsifying"). This just has a small amount of sodium or potassium stearate added so it can emulsify without a co-emulsifier.
Since this ingredient is an ester of a C18 fatty acid, it may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast can potentially metabolize within the C11-C24 range.
Fun fact: The human body also creates Glyceryl Stearate naturally.
Learn more about Glyceryl StearatePhenoxyethanol 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.
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.Â
It’s often used to:
Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.
Learn more about PropanediolWater. 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
