What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil
Antimicrobial
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBHT
Antioxidant
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Isopropyl Alcohol
Solvent
Citric Acid
Buffering
Parfum
Masking
Benzyl Benzoate
Antimicrobial
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Limonene
Perfuming
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Propylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit/Seed Oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Panthenol, Chlorphenesin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexylglycerin, BHT, Phenoxyethanol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Citric Acid, Parfum, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydroxycitronellal, Limonene
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Hydrogenated Farnesene
EmollientStearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingCetyl Esters
Emollient
Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer
Skin ConditioningDiheptyl Succinate
EmollientCitrus Aurantium Dulcis Fruit Extract
MaskingBehentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil
Emollient
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Arginine
Masking
Aspartic Acid
Masking
PCA
Humectant
Glycine
Buffering
Alanine
Masking
Serine
Masking
Valine
MaskingIsoleucine
Skin ConditioningProline
Skin Conditioning
Threonine
Histidine
Humectant
Phenylalanine
Masking
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningLactobacillus Ferment
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningSodium PCA
Humectant
Sodium Lactate
Buffering
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Water, 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.
This ingredient is a preservative and often used for it's anti-static properties. You'll most likely see this ingredient in hair conditioners.
It does not cause irritation or sensitization in leave-on products at 1-5%.
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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about PanthenolParfum 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
