What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCandelilla Cera
EmollientAcacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower Seed Wax Polyglyceryl-3 Esters
EmollientCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientPPG-25-Laureth-25
EmulsifyingGlycerin
HumectantStyrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingSteareth-21
CleansingAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingButylene Glycol
HumectantCetyl Alcohol
EmollientSilica
AbrasiveSimethicone
EmollientSteareth-2
EmulsifyingPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingImidazolidinyl Urea
PreservativePropylene Glycol
HumectantMica
Cosmetic ColorantEthylparaben
PreservativeMethylparaben
PreservativeTetrasodium EDTA
Propylparaben
PreservativeDipotassium Phosphate
BufferingSodium Hyaluronate
HumectantPentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate
EmollientGlycoproteins
Skin ConditioningTriethoxycaprylylsilane
Silica Dimethyl Silylate
EmollientBiotin
AntiseborrhoeicSodium Chondroitin Sulfate
Skin ConditioningAtelocollagen
Skin ConditioningWater, Candelilla Cera, Acacia Decurrens/Jojoba/Sunflower Seed Wax Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, CI 77499, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, PPG-25-Laureth-25, Glycerin, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Steareth-21, Alcohol Denat., Acacia Senegal Gum, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Alcohol, Silica, Simethicone, Steareth-2, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Propylene Glycol, Mica, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Tetrasodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Glycoproteins, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Biotin, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Atelocollagen
Water
Skin ConditioningParaffin
PerfumingPotassium Cetyl Phosphate
EmulsifyingAcrylates Copolymer
Cera Alba
EmollientCopernicia Cerifera Cera
EmollientSteareth-2
EmulsifyingCetyl Alcohol
EmollientPhenoxyethanol
PreservativeHydroxyethylcellulose
Emulsion StabilisingAcacia Senegal Gum
MaskingRayon
Panthenol
Skin ConditioningEthylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer
Skin ConditioningMethylparaben
PreservativeSodium Dehydroacetate
PreservativeHydrogenated Jojoba Oil
AbrasiveHydrogenated Palm Oil
Emollient2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol
Skin ConditioningDisodium EDTA
Ethylparaben
PreservativeSimethicone
EmollientRosa Canina Fruit Oil
EmollientIsopropylparaben
PreservativeIsobutylparaben
AntimicrobialButylparaben
MaskingStyrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer
Butylene Glycol
HumectantAlcohol Denat.
AntimicrobialAcrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingIsohexadecane
EmollientSodium Laureth-12 Sulfate
CleansingPolysorbate 80
EmulsifyingImidazolidinyl Urea
PreservativeCI 77891
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77491
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77499
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77007
Cosmetic ColorantMica
Cosmetic ColorantCI 75470
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77289
Cosmetic ColorantCI 77510
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Paraffin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Acrylates Copolymer, Cera Alba, Copernicia Cerifera Cera, Steareth-2, Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Acacia Senegal Gum, Rayon, Panthenol, Ethylenediamine/Stearyl Dimer Dilinoleate Copolymer, Methylparaben, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Hydrogenated Jojoba Oil, Hydrogenated Palm Oil, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Disodium EDTA, Ethylparaben, Simethicone, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Butylparaben, Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol Denat., Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Sodium Laureth-12 Sulfate, Polysorbate 80, Imidazolidinyl Urea, CI 77891, CI 77491, CI 77499, CI 77007, Mica, CI 75470, CI 77289, CI 77510
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Acacia Senegal Gum has skin soothing, thickening, and formulation stabilizing properties. It comes from the Acacia tree that is native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Alcohol Denat. is an alcohol with a denaturant property. It is created by mixing ethanol with other additives.
The "denat" part just means "denatured"; common denaturants include Denatonium Benzoate, t-butyl alcohol, and Diethyl Phthalate. This step makes the alcohol undrinkable (and lets brand skip taxes related to beverage alcohol).
This ingredient gets a bad rep because it is irritating and drying due to its astringent property. Astringents draw out natural oils in tissue to constrict pores and dry out your skin.
However, alcohol denat. is not all that bad.
Due to its low molecular weight, alcohol denat. tends to evaporate quickly. One study on pig skin found half of applied alcohol evaporated in 10 seconds and less than 3% stayed on skin.
This also helps other ingredients become better absorbed upon application.
Studies are conflicted about whether this ingredient causes skin dehydration. One study from 2005 found adding emollients to propanol-based sanitizer decreased skin dryness and irritation. Another study found irritation only occurs if your skin is already damaged.
Small amounts of alcohol are generally tolerated by oily skin or people who live in humid environments.
The rule of thumb is this ingredient will probably not affect your skin much if it is near the end of an ingredients list.
One thing to note:
People with ALDH2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 2) deficiency may experience skin irritation from continued alcohol use. About 8% of the world's population have this deficiency.
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has determined denatured alcohols to be safe for use in concentrations between 0.05% and 12% (depending on which denaturant is used).
Also...
This ingredient has antimicrobial and solvent properties.
The antimicrobial property helps preserve products and increase their shelf life. As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients.
Look for formulas that contain glycerin, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol if you want to offset any drying effect.
This ingredient will trip away your skin's natural oils/lipids that help it lock in moisture. This can worsen dryness, trigger eczema flare-ups, and aggravate rosacea.
Be sure to patch test any product with this ingredient if you have dry or sensitive skin, eczema, or rosacea.
Learn more about Alcohol Denat.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 GlycolCetyl Alcohol is a fatty alcohol. Fatty Alcohols are most often used as an emollient or to thicken a product.
Its main roles are:
Though it has "alcohol" in the name, it is not related to denatured alcohol or ethyl alcohol.
The FDA allows products labeled "alcohol-free" to have fatty alcohols.
Learn more about Cetyl AlcoholCi 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.
Ethylparaben is a preservative, is a paraben, and is not reef safe.
Hydroxyethylcellulose 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 HydroxyethylcelluloseImidazolidinyl Urea is a synthetic antimicrobial preservative. It works by slowly releasing small amounts of formaldehyde to keep bacteria, yeast, and mold from growing.
Just so you know, the formaldehyde released at typical use concentrations (up to 0.6% in the EU and typically 0.1-0.3% in the US) are tiny. The CIR Expert Panel has reaffirmed its safety as a cosmetic ingredient at current use concentrations in 2023. It's also not mutagenic in cell studies.
However, it is a known contact sensitizer with about a 1-2% contact allergy rate.
Other formaldehyde releasers include Diazolidinyl Urea or DMDM Hydantoin.
Learn more about Imidazolidinyl UreaMethylparaben is a preservative and is a paraben. It is used to prevent the growth of fungus, mold, and other harmful bacteria. Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in both cosmetics and food.
Methylparaben can be synthetically created. It can also be found naturally in some fruits, such as blueberries.
Oftentimes, Methylparaben is combined with other parabens to help increase the shelf life.
The safety of Methylparaben is currently being studied. While ongoing studies are looking into the safety of parabens, the results have been very mixed. Some studies have not found Methylparaben to be harmful.
Learn more about MethylparabenMica is a naturally occurring mineral used to add shimmer and color in cosmetics. It can also help improve the texture of a product or give it an opaque, white/silver color.
Serecite is the name for very fine but ragged grains of mica.
This ingredient is often coated with metal oxides like titanium dioxide. Trace amounts of heavy metals may be found in mica, but these metals are not harmful in our personal products.
Mica has been used since prehistoric times throughout the world. Ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, Roman, Aztec, and Chinese civilizations have used mica.
Learn more about MicaPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is the potassium salt of a mixture. This mixture consists of the esters from phosphoricacid and cetyl alcohol.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier and cleansing agent. Emulsifiers help stabilize a product. It does this by preventing certain ingredients from separating.
As a cleansing agent, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate helps gather oils, dirts, and pollutants from your skin. This makes it easier to rinse them away with water.
Learn more about Potassium Cetyl PhosphateSimethicone is a silicone. It is an emollient and used to reduce foaming in a product. It is also often used to coat sunscreen ingredients for better spreadability.
This ingredient is created by mixing dimethylpolysiloxane and hydrated silica.
Steareth-2 is a waxy compound used to emulsify ingredients. It is created from polyethylene glycol and stearyl alcohol. The 2 stands for the number of ethylene oxide units used to create this ingredient.
Due to the low degree of ethoxylation, the molecule stays mostly oil-loving. That's why you'll often see it paired with water-loving steareth-20 or steareth-21 to create elegant emulsions.
In testing, this ingredient was nontoxic in acute oral studies and not a skin irritant or sensitizer.
You might hear concerns about 1,4-dioxane as a byproduct of ethoxylation; this is well-known in the industry and is controlled through purification steps before the ingredient is blended into finished products.
Learn more about Steareth-2We don't have a description for Styrene/Acrylates/Ammonium Methacrylate Copolymer yet.
Water. 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