What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantBrassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningDipalmitoylethyl Dimonium Chloride
Ethylhexyl Palmitate
EmollientTriethylhexanoin
MaskingDecyl Cocoate
EmollientBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingSorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Olivate
Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil
EmollientPolyglyceryl-10 Laurate
Skin ConditioningCopper Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningAcetyl Hexapeptide-8
HumectantPalmitoyl Pentapeptide-4
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7
Skin ConditioningPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1
Skin ConditioningChenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Sativa Protein Extract
Skin ConditioningCeramide NP
Skin ConditioningHippophae Rhamnoides Oil
EmollientPentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil
EmollientTamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide
Skin ConditioningPanthenol
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
BufferingTocopherol
AntioxidantMalt Extract
Skin ProtectingHydrolyzed Corn Protein
Skin ConditioningHydrolyzed Soy Protein
HumectantHydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Skin ConditioningCetyl Palmitate
EmollientIsopropyl Alcohol
SolventSorbitan Palmitate
EmulsifyingPolyglyceryl-10 Myristate
Skin ConditioningGuar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate/Caprate
EmollientHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCaprylyl Glycol
EmollientButylene Glycol
HumectantIllicium Verum Fruit Extract
PerfumingLavandula Hybrida Oil
EmollientAniba Rosodora Wood Oil
AstringentCananga Odorata Flower Oil
MaskingPelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil
MaskingSodium Acetate
BufferingCellulose
Absorbent1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Dipalmitoylethyl Dimonium Chloride, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Triethylhexanoin, Decyl Cocoate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Sorbitan Olivate, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil, Cetearyl Olivate, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Copper Tripeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Chenopodium Quinoa Seed Extract, Avena Sativa Protein Extract, Ceramide NP, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Pentaclethra Macroloba Seed Oil, Tamarindus Indica Seed Polysaccharide, Panthenol, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Malt Extract, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Cetyl Palmitate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Palmitate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylyl Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Illicium Verum Fruit Extract, Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Aniba Rosodora Wood Oil, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Sodium Acetate, Cellulose, 1,2-Hexanediol, Linalool
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCoco-Caprylate
EmollientCocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingBehentrimonium Chloride
PreservativeLimnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Skin ConditioningCetrimonium Chloride
AntimicrobialPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeParfum
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingArgania Spinosa Kernel Oil
EmollientSodium Phytate
Caramel
Cosmetic ColorantHelianthus Annuus Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Amygdalus Dulcis Bud Extract
Skin ConditioningAvena Strigosa Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
EmollientSodium Benzoate
MaskingLinalool
PerfumingCoumarin
PerfumingWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Coco-Caprylate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Behentrimonium Chloride, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Cetrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Sodium Phytate, Caramel, Helianthus Annuus Seed Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Bud Extract, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Linalool, Coumarin
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.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidThis ingredient is also known as coconut oil. It is a plant-derived ingredient with skin conditioning properties.
The fatty acid profile of coconut oil is mostly lauric acid (~54%), followed by capric, caprylic, palmitic, and myristic acids. This profile allows it to penetrate easily into skin, moisturize, and improve dry skin.
A double-blind study confirmed that extra virgin coconut oil is as effective as mineral oil for treating very dry skin. Another study found it outperformed mineral oil for mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children.
Another study from 2018 found that virgin coconut oil can soothe inflammation and boost key skin barrier proteins. Just know this evidence is still only from lab settings and not human trials.
It has also been shown to reduce Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that commonly overgrows in people with eczema.
Clinical testing shows very minimal skin irritation and no evidence of sensitization or phototoxicity.
Coconut oil gets flagged as a "fragrance" because it has a natural mild scent (not because it's a synthetic perfume). The European Cosmetic ingredient database also lists "perfuming" as a function of this ingredient.
Just so you know, the term "fragrance" is completely unregulated. Some brands still use botanical extracts or essential oils in their "fragrance-free" formulas, but regulatory databases technically classify these under "fragrance".
Coconut oil has a tiny and useless bit of natural SPF. Early lab studies clocked it around SPF 7-8 but a more recent study found the real number closer to SPF 1.2. It also offers no meaningful UVA protection (SPF only overs UVB rays).
The comedogenic rating of 4/5 means it has a high potential to clog pores; but it's worth noting that comedogenicity is highly individual and ratings cannot predict how an overall formula will behave on skin.
Since lauric acid is the dominant fatty acid, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe. The Malassezia yeast feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between 11-24, and lauric acid falls within these lengths (C12).
Learn more about Cocos Nucifera OilGlycerin (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 GlycerinLinalool is a fragrance and helps add scent to products. It's derived from common plants such as cinnamon, mint, citrus, and lavender.
Like Limonene, this ingredient oxidizes when exposed to air. Oxidized linalool can cause allergies and skin sensitivity.
This ingredient has a scent that is floral, spicy tropical, and citrus-like.
Learn more about LinaloolWater. 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