What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningDimethiconol
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantDimethicone
EmollientCeteareth-25
CleansingCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialSclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil
HumectantAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin ConditioningSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPhenoxyethanol
PreservativePanthenol
Skin ConditioningAmodimethicone
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningSaccharide Isomerate
HumectantPolyquaternium-10
Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningTrideceth-5
EmulsifyingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningLaureth-9
EmulsifyingButylene Glycol
HumectantTocopheryl Acetate
AntioxidantSodium Citrate
BufferingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeSodium Benzoate
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingCitric Acid
BufferingParfum
MaskingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium EDTA
Water, Dimethiconol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Ceteareth-25, Cetrimonium Chloride, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, Panthenol, Amodimethicone, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Saccharide Isomerate, Polyquaternium-10, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Trideceth-5, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Laureth-9, Butylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Citrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium EDTA
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientDimethicone
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeBehenyl Alcohol
EmollientDipropylene Glycol
HumectantParfum
MaskingBis(C13-15 Alkoxy) Pg-Amodimethicone
Dimethiconol
EmollientPEG-45m
HumectantTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Malic Acid
BufferingCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
MaskingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
MaskingSodium Hydroxide
BufferingSilica
AbrasiveCeramide Ng
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningTocopherol
AntioxidantMethylchloroisothiazolinone
PreservativeMethylisothiazolinone
PreservativeBenzyl Salicylate
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Behentrimonium Chloride, Behenyl Alcohol, Dipropylene Glycol, Parfum, Bis(C13-15 Alkoxy) Pg-Amodimethicone, Dimethiconol, PEG-45m, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Malic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Silica, Ceramide Ng, Ceramide NP, Tocopherol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Linalool
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 DimethiconeDimethiconol is a silicone that resembles the popular dimethicone. Like other silicones, it is an emollient. Emollients create a thin film on skin to prevent moisture from escaping.
This ingredient helps to create a silky texture and improve spreadability. Due to its high molecular weight and thickness, it is often combined with cyclopentasiloxane.
This ingredient is also known as olive oil. It has been used in skincare for centuries and science largely backs up its reputation as a nourishing emollient.
The main components of olive oil are oleic acid (55-83%), linoleic acid (3.5-20%), and palmitic acid (7-20%). Oleic acid promotes skin regeneration and helps regulate inflammatory responses.
Squalene is also naturally present in olive oil and exhibits moisturizing and antioxidant properties.
The polyphenols in olive oil also show anti-aging promise; one clinical study found a measurable improvement in skin appearance after 30 days of topical serum use.
Just be aware that applying olive oil directly to skin can weaken the barrier and cause redness. One study with volunteers found even people without sensitive skin experienced a significant reduction in stratum corneum integrity and induced mild erythema.
It's best to use this ingredient as part of a carefully crafted formula (instead of putting it on skin directly from the bottle).
Because it has a 2-3 on the comedogenic scale, it is a moderate risk for acne-prone skin. However, the overall formulation of a product matters more than a few ingredients with comedogenic ratings.
This ingredient may not be fungal acne safe because of the oleic and palmitic acid content. These fall within the C11-24 fatty acid range that the Malassezia yeast can metabolize to grow.
Overall, olive oil is a well-studied and nourishing skincare ingredient.
Learn more about Olea Europaea Fruit OilParfum 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 ParfumSodium 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 HydroxideWater. 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