What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningGlyceryl Stearate
Emollient
Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters
Emulsion Stabilising
Vp/Va Copolymer
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Synthetic Wax
Abrasive
Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax
Skin Conditioning
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Butylene Glycol
Humectant
Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables
Skin Conditioning
Ricinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
Glycerin
Humectant
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingPolyimide-1
Galactoarabinan
Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax
Shorea Robusta Resin
TonicSodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tilia Tomentosa Extract
Skin ConditioningLecithin
Emollient
Citric Acid
Buffering
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Ascorbyl Palmitate
Antioxidant
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Stearyl Esters, Vp/Va Copolymer, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Synthetic Wax, Helianthus Annuus Seed Wax, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Palmitic Acid, Stearic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Olea Europaea Oil Unsaponifiables, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Polyimide-1, Galactoarabinan, Rhus Verniciflua Peel Wax, Shorea Robusta Resin, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Panthenol, Tilia Tomentosa Extract, Lecithin, Citric Acid, Tocopherol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, CI 77499
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffin
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Palmitic Acid
Emollient
Polyacrylate-21
Copernicia Cerifera Cera
Emollient
Stearic Acid
Cleansing
Steareth-20
CleansingTromethamine
BufferingCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax
Skin Conditioning
Tribehenin
Emollient
Silica
Abrasive
Steareth-2
EmulsifyingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2
Emollient
Polybutene
Hydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingTrideceth-6 Phosphate
EmulsifyingCaprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningAllantoin
Skin Conditioning
Dipropylene Glycol
HumectantGlyceryl Caprylate
EmollientRicinus Communis Seed Oil
Masking
CI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffin, Butylene Glycol, Palmitic Acid, Polyacrylate-21, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Stearic Acid, Steareth-20, Tromethamine, Cetearyl Alcohol, Oryza Sativa Bran Wax, Tribehenin, Silica, Steareth-2, Acacia Senegal Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Polybutene, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Trideceth-6 Phosphate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Allantoin, Dipropylene Glycol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Ricinus Communis Seed Oil, CI 77499
Reviews
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.
Learn more about Butylene GlycolCaprylyl Glycol is a humectant, skin conditioner, emollient, and preservative booster derived from either caprylic acid or synthetically created.
Typical use levels vary from 0.3-1% as a preservative booster and go up to 2% to condition skin.
Because it is not a free-fatty acid, this ingredient is fungal acne safe (there's nothing for Malassezia to feed on).
Learn more about Caprylyl GlycolCi 77499 is also hydrated iron III oxide. It is created from mixing red and black iron oxides. This helps give shades of darkness to a product.
Iron III oxides are classified as inorganic chemicals for coloring.
This ingredient comes from a palm tree native to Brazil. This ingredient is used to thicken texture and leaves behind a film when applied.
Oryza Sativa Bran Wax is wax from the outer layer of a rice kernel. It has moisturizing properties due to its polysaccharides and omega-3 fatty acids content.
This ingredient is a byproduct of milling rice, or the operation to produce a whole grain rice product.
Palmitic Acid is a fatty acid naturally found in our skin and in many plant and animal sources.
In cosmetics, it is usually derived from palm oil. It serves many purposes in skincare, acting as a cleanser, emollient, and emulsifier.
Interestingly, topically applied Palmitic Acid can be elongated into longer chain fatty acids and ceramides. A 2019 study found low levels of Palmitic Acid lead to slower development of cells, suggesting it plays a role in keeping your skin's renewal process on track.
The CIR (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) panel determined it safe as used in cosmetics at concentrations up to 13%. It is non-irritating and non-sensitizing in clinical studies.
The culprit behind fungal acne, the Malassezia yeast, feeds on fatty acids with carbon chain lengths between C11-C24. Palmitic Acid, at C16, falls right into that sweet spot.
In vitro studies have shown that Palmitic Acid is one of the fatty acids that induce rapid Malassezia growth in lab settings.
It's worth noting that what feeds yeast in a lab doesn't necessarily feed it on your face since formulation and your skin's chemistry play a bigger role.
Learn more about Palmitic AcidThis ingredient is also known as castor oil. It is a skin conditioning ingredient.
The star component of castor oil is ricinoleic acid, an unusual fatty acid that makes up ~80-92% of its composition.
In skincare, it is an emollient that dries down to a solid film with water-binding properties. This helps keep skin hydrated and helps reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).
A 2026 dermatology review pulls together its broader uses:
Human clinical testing found this ingredient to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Because castor oil contains fatty acids in the C11-24 range, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
At this time, the literature does not support castor oil in regrowing hair. A 2022 systematic review found no strong evidence that it supports hair growth and only weak evidence that it improves hair shine.
Castor oil itself carries "perfuming" and "masking" function tags according to the official CosIng database. This is because of its mild odor and odor-dampening properties.
Learn more about Ricinus Communis Seed OilStearic Acid is a fatty acid that is already found in your skin. It's one of the free fatty acids that works alongside ceramides and cholesterols to maintain your barrier.
In cosmetics, it is a multitasker:
Safety-wise, the CIR Expert Panel has concluded it to be safe in cosmetics when formulated to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing.
Free stearic acid is a C18 fatty acid that the Malassezia yeast can substrate, so this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Stearic AcidWater. 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
