What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Tapioca Starch
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Isoamyl Laurate
Emollient
Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate
Emulsifying
Avena Sativa Kernel Flour
Abrasive
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingMagnolol
Antioxidant
Honokiol
Antioxidant
Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Tapioca Starch, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Isoamyl Laurate, Polyglyceryl-2 Stearate, Avena Sativa Kernel Flour, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, Magnolol, Honokiol, Vitis Vinifera Seed Oil, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCarthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil
Masking
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientGlycerin
Humectant
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Glyceryl Oleate Citrate
Emulsifying
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Kaempferia Parviflora Rhizome Extract
Antioxidant
Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
Antioxidant
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Propanediol
Solvent
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningOleic Acid
Emollient
Polysorbate 20
Emulsifying
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Phenethyl Alcohol
MaskingWater, Carthamus Tinctorius Seed Oil, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Glyceryl Oleate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Kaempferia Parviflora Rhizome Extract, Cucumis Sativus Fruit Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Xanthan Gum, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Oleic Acid, Polysorbate 20, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Benzoate, Tocopherol, Sodium Hydroxide, Pentylene Glycol, Phenethyl Alcohol
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.
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 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 GlycerinWater. 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
