What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Santalum Album Wood Water
Water
Skin ConditioningCaprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Rumex Occidentalis Extract
Skin ConditioningMethylpropanediol
SolventCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cetearyl Glucoside
Emulsifying
Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
Emollient
Arachidyl Alcohol
Emollient
Behenyl Alcohol
Emollient
Arachidyl Glucoside
EmulsifyingCitrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningSodium Benzoate
Masking
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract
Antimicrobial
Beta Vulgaris Root Extract
Skin ConditioningCommiphora Myrrha Resin Extract
Skin ConditioningOlea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate
Emulsifying
Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate
CleansingGlycerin
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate
HumectantCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract
HumectantPhenylpropanol
Masking
Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
Acacia Senegal Gum
MaskingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Bakuchiol
Antimicrobial
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil
Masking
Jasminum Officinale Flower Oil
Perfuming
Hyaluronic Acid
Humectant
Pinus Mugo Leaf Oil
Masking
Santalum Album Wood Water, Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Rumex Occidentalis Extract, Methylpropanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Citrus Aurantifolia Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Beta Vulgaris Root Extract, Commiphora Myrrha Resin Extract, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Polyglyceryl-3 Diisostearate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Terminalia Ferdinandiana Fruit Extract, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Caprylyl Glycol, Aphanizomenon Flos-Aquae Extract, Phenylpropanol, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Acacia Senegal Gum, Xanthan Gum, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Tocopherol, Bakuchiol, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Jasminum Officinale Flower Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Pinus Mugo Leaf Oil
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl 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 GlycerinSodium Benzoate is a preservative. It's used in both cosmetic and food products to inhibit the growth of mold and bacteria. It is typically produced synthetically.
Both the US FDA and EU Health Committee have approved the use of sodium benzoate. In the US, levels of 0.1% (of the total product) are allowed.
Sodium benzoate works as a preservative by inhibiting the growth of bacteria inside of cells. It prevents the cell from fermenting a type of sugar using an enzyme called phosphofructokinase.
It is the salt of benzoic acid. Foods containing sodium benzoate include soda, salad dressings, condiments, fruit juices, wines, and snack foods.
Studies for using ascorbic acid and sodium benzoate in cosmetics are lacking, especially in skincare routines with multiple steps.
We always recommend speaking with a professional, such as a dermatologist, if you have any concerns.
Learn more about Sodium BenzoateWater. 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
