What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Dicaprylyl Carbonate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
Masking
Octyldodecanol
Emollient
Butyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Olivate
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
Emulsifying
Sorbitan Olivate
Emulsifying
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Methyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Vinyldimethicone
C12-16 Alcohols
EmollientParfum
Masking
Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Hydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Microcrystalline Cellulose
AbsorbentAmmonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCopernicia Cerifera Wax
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Phytate
Cellulose Gum
Emulsion StabilisingJuglans Nigra Leaf Extract
AstringentPinus Densiflora Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Sophora Japonica Leaf Extract
Skin ProtectingStearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract
Skin ProtectingTocopherol
Antioxidant
Hydrogenated Polyisobutene
EmollientChamaecyparis Obtusa Water
MaskingPinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract
TonicMethylpropanediol
SolventCocos Nucifera Fruit Extract
Emollient
Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantBambusa Vulgaris Water
Skin ConditioningCupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract
Perfuming
Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract
Skin ProtectingGaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract
Perfuming
Prunus Persica Flower Extract
MoisturisingPinus Pinaster Bark Extract
Antioxidant
Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Water, Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Octyldodecanol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Cetearyl Olivate, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Sorbitan Olivate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methyl Trimethicone, Vinyldimethicone, C12-16 Alcohols, Parfum, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Palmitic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Caprylyl Glycol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Vp Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Copernicia Cerifera Wax, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose Gum, Juglans Nigra Leaf Extract, Pinus Densiflora Leaf Extract, Sophora Japonica Leaf Extract, Stearyl Alcohol, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Pinus Sylvestris Leaf Extract, Methylpropanediol, Cocos Nucifera Fruit Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Bambusa Vulgaris Water, Cupressus Sempervirens Leaf Extract, Pinus Sylvestris Bud Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Gaultheria Procumbens Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica Flower Extract, Pinus Pinaster Bark Extract, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract
Water
Skin ConditioningGlycerin
Humectant
Isopropyl Palmitate
Emollient
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Ceteareth-20
CleansingPanthenol
Skin Conditioning
Niacinamide
Smoothing
Tocopheryl Acetate
Antioxidant
Dimethicone
Emollient
Persea Gratissima Oil
Skin Conditioning
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Pantolactone
Humectant
Glyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Benzyl Alcohol
Perfuming
Citric Acid
Buffering
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 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 Water
