What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningOryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Alcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Triethanolamine
BufferingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingEuphorbia Cerifera Cera
Astringent
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Aminomethyl Propanediol
BufferingAscorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Laureth-20
EmulsifyingPolyvinyl Alcohol
Vp/Va Copolymer
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
CI 77266
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Cyclopentasiloxane, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Alcohol Denat., Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Triethanolamine, Acacia Senegal Gum, Euphorbia Cerifera Cera, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Aminomethyl Propanediol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Laureth-20, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Vp/Va Copolymer, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, CI 77266, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningAlcohol Denat.
Antimicrobial
Pvp
Emulsion StabilisingVp/Va Copolymer
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Laurtrimonium Chloride
Emulsifying
Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17
Skin Conditioning
Benzoic Acid
Masking
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Polymethylsilsesquioxane
Diamond Powder
Abrasive
Water, Alcohol Denat., Pvp, Vp/Va Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Laurtrimonium Chloride, Myristoyl Pentapeptide-17, Benzoic Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Diamond Powder
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.Phenoxyethanol 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.
VP/VA Copolymer is a synthetic polymer made by joining two smaller molecules (vinylpyrrolidone and vinyl acetate) into a larger chain.
It is mainly used as a film-former and fixing agent. When a product dries, it creates a thin and flexible layer on the skin, hair, or nails. This film helps hold hairstyles into place, adds a smooth feel to skin, and traps moisture to reduce dryness.
Irritation is rare at normal concentrations and it doesn't penetrate deeply into skin.
Learn more about Vp/Va CopolymerWater. 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
