What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Seed Butter
EmollientSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientGlycerin
HumectantRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientCera Alba
EmollientCetearyl Olivate
Sorbitan Olivate
EmulsifyingAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialGlyceryl Stearate
EmollientCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingSodium Benzoate
MaskingPotassium Sorbate
PreservativeCitric Acid
BufferingLimonene
PerfumingButyrospermum Parkii Butter
Skin ConditioningCitronellol
PerfumingPelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil
Geraniol
PerfumingCitrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract
Skin ConditioningLinalool
PerfumingCitrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil
MaskingCitral
PerfumingCitrus Limon Peel Oil
MaskingWater, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Glycerin, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Cera Alba, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Alcohol Denat., Glyceryl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Limonene, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Citronellol, Pelargonium Graveolens Leaf Oil, Geraniol, Citrus Aurantium Sinensis Peel Extract, Linalool, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia Fruit Oil, Citral, Citrus Limon Peel Oil
Water
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
EmollientAlcohol
AntimicrobialGlycerin
HumectantTapioca Starch
Cocos Nucifera Oil
MaskingGlyceryl Stearate Citrate
EmollientMelissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
SoothingArachis Hypogaea Oil
Skin ConditioningSimmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
EmollientPrunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil
MaskingAnthyllis Vulneraria Extract
Skin ConditioningBellis Perennis Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningTropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract
Skin ConditioningHamamelis Virginiana Bark/Leaf Extract
AstringentCetearyl Alcohol
EmollientTriticum Vulgare Bran Extract
Skin ConditioningDaucus Carota Sativa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningParfum
MaskingCitral
PerfumingLimonene
PerfumingGeraniol
PerfumingCitronellol
PerfumingLinalool
PerfumingHectorite
AbsorbentLysolecithin
EmulsifyingXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingCoco-Glucoside
CleansingZinc Oxide
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Alcohol, Glycerin, Tapioca Starch, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Melissa Officinalis Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Anthyllis Vulneraria Extract, Bellis Perennis Flower Extract, Tropaeolum Majus Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana Bark/Leaf Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triticum Vulgare Bran Extract, Daucus Carota Sativa Root Extract, Parfum, Citral, Limonene, Geraniol, Citronellol, Linalool, Hectorite, Lysolecithin, Xanthan Gum, Coco-Glucoside, Zinc Oxide
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 AlcoholCitral is the molecule responsible for the fresh lemon scent in lemon, lime, and lemongrass. It is a fragrance ingredient that can be created from plant essential oils or synthetically.
Though Citral has documented antimicrobial activity against acne bacteria (which is where the marketing claims about it being good for acne-prone skin originate), real formulas use it at fragrance-level concentrations under 1% so there's likely no skin benefit.
You should know this ingredient is a known EU fragrance allergen.
Animal studies classifies this ingredient as a weak-to-moderate skin sensitizer and clinical patch testing on eczema patients confirmed it to be both a contact allergen and irritant.
The term 'citral' is a collective term for two geometric isomers: geranial/Citral A and neral/Citral B.
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 CitralCitronellol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is often derived from plants such as roses. In fact, it can be found in many essential oils including geranium, lavender, neroli, and more. The scent of Citronellol is often described as "fresh, grassy, and citrus-like".
Since the Citronellol molecule is already unstable, Citronellol becomes irritating on the skin when exposed to air.
Citronellol is a modified terpene. Terpenes are unsaturated hydrocarbons found in plants. They make up the primary part of essential oils.
Citronellol is not able to be absorbed into deeper layers of the skin. It has low permeability,
Citronellol is also a natural insect repellent.
Learn more about CitronellolGeraniol is used to add fragrance/parfum to a product. It is the main component of citronellol. It is a monoterpenoid and an alcohol.
Monoterpenes are naturally found in many parts of different plants.
Geraniol can be found in many essential oils including Rose Oil and Citronella Oil. The scent of Geraniol is often described as "rose-like". Many foods also contain Geraniol for fruit flavoring.
Geraniol can irritate the skin when exposed to air. However, irritation depends on the ability of geraniol to penetrate into the skin. In general, geraniol is not able to penetrate skin easily.
Geraniol is colorless and has low water-solubility. However, it is soluble in common organic solvents.
Like citronellol, it is a natural insect repellent.
2,6-Octadien-1-ol, 3,7-dimethyl-, (2E)-
Learn more about GeraniolGlycerin (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 GlycerinLimonene is a fragrance that adds scent and taste to a formulation.
It's found in the peel oil of citrus fruits and other plants such as lavender and eucalyptus. The scent of limonene is generally described as "sweet citrus".
Limonene acts as an antioxidant, meaning it helps neutralize free radicals.
When exposed to air, oxidized limonene may sensitize the skin. Because of this, limonene is often avoided by people with sensitive skin.
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 LimoneneLinalool 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 LinaloolJojoba oil is one of the most well-studied plant-derived ingredients in cosmetics. It is an emollient with a special structure.
Because it is made up of 97-98% wax esters, it closely mirrors the linear monoesters found in human sebum. This makes it skin compatible, non-greasy, and lightweight.
Unlike other plant oils, jojoba wax doesn't easily penetrate skin. It mostly works in the uppermost layers as an emollient. This just means it forms a light barrier on the skin to help retain moisture.
Formulations with jojoba esters up to 90% reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and increased barrier recovery by 81% (outperforming bisabolol at 47%).
Besides barrier support, the science also suggests jojoba to have anti-inflammatory effects and potential applications for skin infections, aging, and wound healing.
Fun fact: Indigenous cultures have used jojoba as a moisturizer and to help treat burns for centuries.
Due to its fatty acid content, Jojoba oil may not be fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Simmondsia Chinensis Seed OilWater. 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