What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningPyrus Malus Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Cetyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Propanediol
Solvent
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
Skin ConditioningEmblica Officinalis Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Arginine
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Lactic Acid
Buffering
Lauroyl Lysine
Skin Conditioning
Dicaprylyl Ether
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine
Skin ConditioningHydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate
Polyester-11
Skin ConditioningHydrogenated Lecithin
Emulsifying
Parfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
Hexyl Cinnamal
Perfuming
Linalool
Perfuming
Hydroxycitronellal
Perfuming
Disodium EDTA
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Sodium Benzoate
Masking
Water, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Emblica Officinalis Fruit Extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Arginine, Panthenol, Tocopherol, Lactic Acid, Lauroyl Lysine, Dicaprylyl Ether, Ethylhexylglycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Brassicamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Polyester-11, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Parfum, Limonene, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Hydroxycitronellal, Disodium EDTA, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Cetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Coco-Caprylate
Emollient
Behentrimonium Chloride
Preservative
Polyquaternium-10
Polyquaternium-7
Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil
Emollient
Mentha Piperita Oil
Masking
Panthenol
Skin Conditioning
Mentha Arvensis Callus Lysate
Antioxidant
Hydrolyzed Quinoa
Skin ConditioningLinum Usitatissimum Seed Oil
Perfuming
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
Emollient
Squalane
Emollient
Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract
Skin ConditioningEquisetum Arvense Leaf Extract
AstringentHibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningHylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningChamomilla Recutita Flower Extract
Masking
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialSerenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract
Skin Conditioning
Redensyl
Pentylene Glycol
Skin Conditioning
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Ethylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningCitric Acid
Buffering
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Coco-Caprylate, Behentrimonium Chloride, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-7, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Mentha Piperita Oil, Panthenol, Mentha Arvensis Callus Lysate, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Linum Usitatissimum Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Squalane, Simmondsia Chinensis Seed Oil, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Urtica Dioica Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense Leaf Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Hylocereus Undatus Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Serenoa Serrulata Fruit Extract, Redensyl, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid
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.
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 AlcoholEthylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:
The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.
Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.
Learn more about EthylhexylglycerinGlycerin (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 GlycerinHelianthus Annuus Seed Oil is a plant oil derived from the seeds of a sunflower.
It is rich in fatty acids, primarily linoleic acid and oleic acid. This gives it emollient and skin conditioning properties.
The reason this ingredient is so effective is because it forms a thin film on the skin that reduces transepidermal water loss (TEWL) while supplying linoleic acid to the stratum corneum to improve barrier strength.
The high linoleic acid content is particularly noteworthy for acne-prone skin.
Research suggests that acne-prone skin tends to be deficient in linoleic acid in sebum. Topical application may help replenish this to support a healthier follicular environment and less comedone-promoting sebum.
One randomized study found sunflower seed oil preserved skin barrier integrity in adult volunteers with and without atopic dermatitis (outperforming olive oil).
This ingredient is well-studied, gentle, and an effective emollient suitable for most skin types.
On fungal acne: This ingredient may not be Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis) safe. This is because it contains fatty acids with carbon chain lengths in the C11-C24 range.
Learn more about Helianthus Annuus Seed OilPanthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.
There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.
D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.
Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):
Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.
This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.
Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.
This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.
Learn more about Panthenol
