What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine
EmulsifyingRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Olea Europaea Fruit Oil
Masking
Behentrimonium Methosulfate
Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetrimonium Chloride
Antimicrobial
Parfum
Masking
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingGlycine Soja Oil
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil
Emollient
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Gluconolactone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Althaea Officinalis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil, Stearamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Cetyl Alcohol, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Theobroma Grandiflorum Seed Butter, Cetrimonium Chloride, Parfum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Glycine Soja Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Cucurbita Pepo Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Honey, Sorbic Acid, Panthenol, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Santalum Album Oil
Masking
Cetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Cyamopsis Tetragonoloba Gum
Emulsion StabilisingHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Sodium Gluconate
Skin ConditioningSodium Hydroxide
BufferingIngredients 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 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 AcidHydroxyethylcellulose is used to improve the texture of products. It is created from a chemical reaction involving ethylene oxide and alkali-cellulose. Cellulose is a sugar found in plant cell walls and help give plants structure.
This ingredient helps stabilize products by preventing ingredients from separating. It can also help thicken the texture of a product.
This ingredient can also be found in pill medicines to help our bodies digest other ingredients.
Learn more about HydroxyethylcellulosePersea Gratissima Oil is also known as avocado oil.
Avocado Oil has antioxidant properties. It is mostly made up of the glycerides of fatty acids. About 67% of these fatty acids is made up of oleic acid. Palmitic acid and linoleic acid are also present.
These fatty acids help hydrate and soften the skin. It may increase collagen content in the skin. Collagen helps keep your skin plump and firm. This ingredient helps reduce inflammation and has not shown to clog pores.
This ingredient may not be fungal-acne safe due to its high fatty acid content.
Avocados also have B vitamins, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium.
Learn more about Persea Gratissima OilRicinus Communis Seed Oil is the INCI name for castor oil.
Castor Oil helps moisturize the skin. It is rich in a fatty acid called ricinoleic acid. This fatty acid helps prevent moisture loss on the skin. This helps keep your skin soft and hydrated. Ricinoleic acid also has anti-inflammatory and pain reducing properties.
Besides hydrating the skin, castor oil is also used to hydrate hair. By keeping the hair shaft moisturized, breakage is decreased. More studies are needed to show castor oil's effective on stimulating hair growth.
Castor oil is created by cold-pressing castor seeds and then purifying the oil with heat. It was used in Ancient Egypt as fuel in lamps and to help treat eye irritation.
The term '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.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilSodium 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 Water
